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

Former UFC athlete, the North American Corey anderson countered the Joe Rogan's provocations about athletes who work outside the largest MMA organization in the world. The former middleweight standout (up to 83,9kg) acknowledged that those who work in Ultimate become more famous and have more visibility in the media, but he told a little about his career in the company and stated that he only started living off the sport when he signed 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 worked 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 recorded four wins, one defeat and one draw. The setback suffered was for the light heavyweight champion (up to 93kg) Vadim nemkovin November 2022.