Former UFC athlete, Corey Anderson responds to Joe Rogan’s provocations: ‘Fame doesn’t pay the bills’

C. Anderson in victory for the UFC. Photo: Reproduction / Facebook @ufc

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Former UFC fighter Corey Anderson responded to Joe Rogan's provocations about athletes who compete outside the world's largest MMA organization . The former middleweight (up to 83,9kg) star acknowledged that those who compete in the UFC gain more fame and media visibility, but recounted some of his journey in the company and stated that he only began to live solely off the sport when he signed a contract with Bellator.

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“You guys know I love Joe (Rogan). But I speak as someone who spent seven years in the UFC and left as #4 in the middleweight rankings. The fans watching me fight wasn't enough to pay bills or even begin to prepare my family for a future. My wife and I had to have jobs to pay the bills between fights until I arrived at Bellator. I always say 'I make more money in Bellator'. Well, in my last fight in the UFC I was in the top-5 and my purse wasn't even close to 6 figures. That would be more or less 100 thousand. After seven years, 15 fights, 13 opponents, being in the top 15 and being in the top-10 in my first year. In my debut fight I made 16 thousand (in purse). It was hell, even going on Joe Rogan's podcast, I had trouble finding someone to cover me at work. However, in my first Bellator fight I did 5 times more and was able to free my wife from a job and focus fully on my fighting career for the first time. So, if you want fans and stardom… Yes, you have a better chance in the UFC. But if you want to make money… Test the market and go where the money is. FAME DOESN’T PAY BILLS… MONEY PAYS!”, wrote Anderson.

Corey fought in the UFC between 2014 and 2020 and left the company with a record of 10 wins and five losses, being considered for a long time a kind of 'gatekeeper' of the division. However, Anderson has been reborn since his arrival at Bellator and in six fights, he has achieved four wins, one loss and one draw. The defeat suffered was against the light heavyweight champion (up to 93kg) Vadim Nemkov , in November 2022.

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