Corey Anderson on defeating Glover Teixeira: “Win over Glover Teixeira puts me in top three at light heavyweight”
Corey Anderson has come a long way since time on The Ultimate Fighter, showing tremendous improvements in his overall MMA skills which has led to some pretty good wins for him as of late.
But if you ask him, there might me no victory in Anderson’s career than the won he gained this past Sunday night against long time light heavyweight contender Glover Teixeira at UFC Hamburg.
Leading into the fight Teixeira was the #3 ranked UFC Light Heavyweight, but being that Anderson was able to defeat the Brazilian slugger so soundly, he feels it’s only right that he take Glover’s previous spot at #3.
“I think it puts me in the No. 3 spot,” Anderson said at the evening’s post-fight press conference. “I took out the No. 3 guy, why wouldn’t I take his position? I think it puts me in a setup to fight No. 2, whether it’s Volkan (Oezdemir) or (Alexander) Gustafsson, whatever. If Anthony (Smith) wants to fight Gus, give him Gus, I’ll take Volkan.
“They say Gustafsson just got pulled from 227 too, so when they both heal up, if they don’t rematch them two and they want to give them different opponents, I’ll take Volkan and Smith can take Gus. Or I’ll take one of my losses, rematch against [Ovince Saint Preux] or Jimi (Manuwa). ”
“I don’t duck and dodge, I don’t pick fights,” Anderson added. “I just want to be the best and I said it when I lost overseas last time, I might not be the best now, but I will be when I leave the game. And if I’ve got to fight everybody to prove it, that’s what I have to do.”
The victory was quite sweet for Anderson, as it was a form of validation for him for those who were counting him out before the fight even happened.
“The game plan in every fight is to go out there and dominate,” Anderson said. “It’s no strict game plan, but we’re going to go to wherever the fight goes and if he leaves an opening there go get takedowns, you’re a hell of a wrestler, outwrestle him; if the opening is there for the hands, out-strike him. We’re going to take the fight wherever it is and just dominate. Keep pressure on him and just stay on him, push the pace, pace change, 15 minutes.”
“Everybody talked about it, I was the underdog, there’s now way Corey can beat Glover. He hits too hard, he’s gonna knock him out, his wrestling, his jiu-jitsu, but I went out there and I shut down everything they said. I took him down when I wanted to, I rocked him when I wanted to, and I out-jiu-jitsu’d a black belt. I think I did exactly what I planned to do.”
As a result of Anderson’s monumental win, it could potentially set up a fight between him and Anthony Smith who had his own highlight moment Sunday afternoon as he knocked out former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
Now with a higher new spot in the UFC’s Light Heavyweight rankings, Anderson says he’d proceed in a potential bout with Smith even if it wasn’t his 1st initial opponent of choice.
“I actually did see the fight and it was a nice fight, congrats to Anthony,” Anderson said. “If he wants the work, if he wants the sauce, he can get the sauce.
“But I think right now, like I said in my interview, I’m trying to get the best fights to get me to the title as soon as possible. Anthony actually called me out on Twitter for the UFC Lincoln, Nebraska fight or whatever and it didn’t get any retweets or any posts so I paid no attention, like, ‘Who the f*ck is this guy?’”
Anderson didn’t take too much damage in fight except for a minor injury to his index finger.
He didn’t elaborate on when the injury occurred, but doesn’t believe it’s that severe.
His teams feels it could be just a fracture and plan to see a doctor once Anderson returns home, let it heal, then quickly get back in the gym.
Anderson says he vows to win the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship before the age of 30, and he knows that time period is vastly approaching.
“I want to be the champion as soon as possible,” Anderson said. “As soon as they give me the title shot, I’m gonna take it. But I’m gonna take it and be prepared. I’m gonna put the time in the gym as I always do and do whatever it is to get it.”
“I want it by the time I’m 30. I’m 28 now, I still got time, but if you plan on having it in 2019, you’re going to have to fight me for it or wait until I retire.”
