Bellator 170 video: Derek Anderson wants out of ‘lightweight division as soon as possible’

Bellator 170’s Derek Anderson spoke with Bloody Elbow about his upcoming opponent Derek Campos and divulges his plans to exit the lightweight division as champion.

(Editor’s note: The day after this scrum was conducted, Anderson missed weight by 4 pounds)

Rangy pressure fighter Derek Anderson is slated to face the heavy hitting Derek Campos at Bellator 170 this Saturday night. Before the duel of the Dereks, Anderson sat down with Bloody Elbow to talk fight preparation, title aspirations, and the desire to exit the lightweight division ASAP.

What is about your style that brings you such success in the Bellator promotion?

“My mentality in the cage. Outside of the cage too, I’m a cool and collected dude. Inside the cage, I’m more of a fighter than a lot of these guys. Just naturally, I’m there to punch, man, and I’m not worried about getting punched back. I’m there to fight and there’s not too much else going on in my head at the time, you know what I mean?”

What have you done to prepare for the bolos of Derek Campos?

“I just keep doing my thing all of the time. I train hard and try to leave no holes. When I punch, I’m not leaving an opening for them to hit me back, and that is one thing he does do.”

Campos has been known to take people down. Do you think that’s what he wil…

“Absolutely! I usually don’t listen to my opponent’s interviews but I did hear a little interview of his and it sounded like he wasn’t too confident on the feet. Like he wanted to wrestle me against the cage maybe. I don’t know. Maybe he’s confident on the feet but wants to play it safe or something. Either way, I’m prepared for that. I definitely think that’s what he’s going to be trying to do.”

Do you want to keep this one standing?

“I always try to keep it standing. I displayed a little grappling in the Saad Awad fight last time, and I think I need to start doing that a little more. I’d love to take him down and choke him out.”

What’s Next?

“I want the title, man. As soon as I can get it. If they want to make me wait for it, I’ll take some big names in the mean time, maybe Benson Henderson or something like that. Whatever they got for me, but I want to get out of this lightweight division as soon as possible, but I want the title first.”

Is the welterweight division where you belong?

“Yeah, I am a lightweight. I think I do belong down here, but I’m getting older and I think I’m going to move up. I don’t want to be cutting weight like that. I don’t care if everyone else is doing it or not. So, eventually, that’s in my future.”

Watch Derek Anderson take on Derek Campos this Saturday night at Bellator 170. The prelims will stream live on Bloody Elbow with the main card airing live on Spike TV at 9:00 P.M. EST/PST. Stay tuned for all of your Bellator 170 event coverage including interviews, results, highlights, and more!

Bellator 170’s Derek Anderson spoke with Bloody Elbow about his upcoming opponent Derek Campos and divulges his plans to exit the lightweight division as champion.

(Editor’s note: The day after this scrum was conducted, Anderson missed weight by 4 pounds)

Rangy pressure fighter Derek Anderson is slated to face the heavy hitting Derek Campos at Bellator 170 this Saturday night. Before the duel of the Dereks, Anderson sat down with Bloody Elbow to talk fight preparation, title aspirations, and the desire to exit the lightweight division ASAP.

What is about your style that brings you such success in the Bellator promotion?

“My mentality in the cage. Outside of the cage too, I’m a cool and collected dude. Inside the cage, I’m more of a fighter than a lot of these guys. Just naturally, I’m there to punch, man, and I’m not worried about getting punched back. I’m there to fight and there’s not too much else going on in my head at the time, you know what I mean?”

What have you done to prepare for the bolos of Derek Campos?

“I just keep doing my thing all of the time. I train hard and try to leave no holes. When I punch, I’m not leaving an opening for them to hit me back, and that is one thing he does do.”

Campos has been known to take people down. Do you think that’s what he wil…

“Absolutely! I usually don’t listen to my opponent’s interviews but I did hear a little interview of his and it sounded like he wasn’t too confident on the feet. Like he wanted to wrestle me against the cage maybe. I don’t know. Maybe he’s confident on the feet but wants to play it safe or something. Either way, I’m prepared for that. I definitely think that’s what he’s going to be trying to do.”

Do you want to keep this one standing?

“I always try to keep it standing. I displayed a little grappling in the Saad Awad fight last time, and I think I need to start doing that a little more. I’d love to take him down and choke him out.”

What’s Next?

“I want the title, man. As soon as I can get it. If they want to make me wait for it, I’ll take some big names in the mean time, maybe Benson Henderson or something like that. Whatever they got for me, but I want to get out of this lightweight division as soon as possible, but I want the title first.”

Is the welterweight division where you belong?

“Yeah, I am a lightweight. I think I do belong down here, but I’m getting older and I think I’m going to move up. I don’t want to be cutting weight like that. I don’t care if everyone else is doing it or not. So, eventually, that’s in my future.”

Watch Derek Anderson take on Derek Campos this Saturday night at Bellator 170. The prelims will stream live on Bloody Elbow with the main card airing live on Spike TV at 9:00 P.M. EST/PST. Stay tuned for all of your Bellator 170 event coverage including interviews, results, highlights, and more!