Bellator light heavyweight tournament semi-finalist Corey Anderson would like you to know he’s very happy with his decision to jump ship from the UFC.
Another day, another story about how the UFC’s payscale doesn’t compare to other fight promotions.
Over the weekend we saw Ben Askren pocket $500,000 in disclosed purse (and $1 mil overall by his account) for his 2 minutes of boxing time against YouTuber Jake Paul. That’s more than the former Bellator and ONE champion has ever made off a single fight. In fact, Askren says it’s more than he made off his entire Bellator run of nine fights.
That may put Bellator into a bit of a bad light, but things seem to have changed since the circa 2010 Bellator tournament era “Funky” participated in. Because now we have former UFC fighter Corey Anderson claiming he’s made more with Bellator in two fights than he did in seven years with the UFC.
“UFC gave me the career… Bellator gave me the life!” Anderson wrote on Twitter. “In two fights / six months with Bellator, I’ve made double of what I did in fifteen fights (11 wins 2 bonuses) 7 years with UFC. Now I live and enjoy life to the fullest with my family everyday! Let that marinate….”
UFC gave me the career…Bellator gave me the life!!
In 2 fights 6 months with Bellator, I’ve made double of what I did in 15 fights (11 wins 2 bonuses) 7 years with UFC. Now I live and enjoy life to the fullest with my family everyday!
Let that marinate….#blessed #worth— Corey ‘Overtime’ Anderson (@CoreyA_MMA) April 20, 2021
Unfortunately it’s a bit tricky figuring out exactly how much Anderson is making to make an apples to apples comparison. Some numbers we do know: Anderson’s disclosed purse for his sixth fight at UFC 196 in 2016 was $20k to show and $20k to win. Seven fights later at UFC 232 in 2018, he was up to $65k to show, $65k to win. That was his last disclosed purse with the UFC.
There’s a good chance “Overtime” is including sponsorship money that he’s free to make in Bellator selling off space on his fight shorts. And hey, why not? A buck is a buck however you make it, and we’re happy to hear Anderson is thriving in Bellator (where he just advanced to the semi-finals of the Bellator light heavyweight tournament).
Corey used to be known as “Beastin’ 25/8” and is now “Overtime,” but who needs to work overtime when you’re cashing these kinds of checks?