After an extended hiatus of 16 months, mixed martial arts veteran Corey Anderson is set to make his long-awaited return to the octagon this Saturday. Marking his first heavyweight bout in over a decade, Anderson will face the formidable 2024 PFL champion, Denis Goltsov.
Anderson, the former Bellator light heavyweight champion, found himself in a prolonged period of inactivity, awaiting a fight assignment from the PFL. A planned trilogy fight against Vadim Nemkov in January was ultimately canceled, prolonging his wait for a return to competition.
When the PFL finally offered a heavyweight contest, Anderson accepted without hesitation, eager to resume his career after what has been his longest break since he began competing in 2013.
“[My manager] Ali [Abdelaziz] called me with the name ‘brother, what do you think?’ I didn’t really think, I said I’ll take it,” Anderson recounted. “He said ‘you sure? Have you even looked at him?’ No, I haven’t really looked at him but I’ll take it.”
However, a moment of pre-fight jitters followed. “After I got off the phone, I got super nervous, it was like 11 o’clock at night and I’m like oh snap, what did I just do?” Anderson admitted. Researching Goltsov revealed a formidable opponent, transforming his nervousness into excitement for the challenge.
Anderson candidly admitted that options in the light heavyweight division had grown stale. The prospect of competing in a new weight class presented a refreshing and stimulating challenge. This newfound nervousness, he explained, was a welcome sensation, something he hadn`t experienced with potential matchups at 205 pounds.
“The thing about the people left at 205 [pounds], once Vadim left it was kind like I still train everyday — I’m going to train regardless, I’m going to go hard — but that fear kind of wasn’t there,” Anderson elaborated. “There’s the chances of the ‘what if’ but it wasn’t like a fear, I didn’t feel there was any new faces. Nothing I’ve never seen. Nothing like they could be tough fights but what if?”
While every fight carries inherent risks, a decisive victory over Goltsov could open up significant opportunities for Anderson, particularly if he opts to remain in the heavyweight division.
The biggest star currently under the PFL banner is former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who has fought only once for the promotion with no clear indication of his next bout.
Anderson possesses no specific knowledge of Ngannou’s future plans but is unequivocally open to a potential clash, provided the financial terms are satisfactory. “As long as the money makes sense, I’m all about it. That’s where I’m at in this career. Getting belts and checks, that’s it,” he stated, emphasizing his focus on championships and financial gain.
Indeed, Anderson might find more compelling opportunities at heavyweight compared to the current roster of light heavyweight contenders.
“Ryan Bader left so what’s the belt look like there?” Anderson questioned regarding the former Bellator heavyweight champion. “They say the winner of the PFL tournament is supposed to fight the heavyweight champ but now there’s no heavyweight champ from Bellator. I was told the PFL champ from last year was supposed to fight a 205’er this year. That’s [Dovletdzhan] Yagshimuradov, I beat him already.”
For now, Anderson remains singularly focused on his immediate opponent, Denis Goltsov.
Should he deliver a dominant or finishing performance on Saturday, Anderson anticipates a cascade of new and exciting prospects. Whether it’s a high-profile bout against Ngannou or another significant challenge, Anderson is prepared to embrace any opportunity that aligns with his long-term aspirations of securing championships and substantial financial rewards.
“We’re going to prepare for this and we’ll see what happens,” Anderson concluded. “If they say we’re going back to 205 next [or] if the fight is so dominant they’re like ‘we want you to fight for the heavyweight belt or we want you to fight a super fight against Francis.’ Whatever it is, we’re just going to be prepared.”
“If it don’t make money, it don’t make sense. We know the money’s going to be there. Same thing with Goltsov. The only reason the opportunity came is the money. The opportunity, they reached out and the way they set the contract and everything up, I’m like yes, 100 percent. Well worth it.”
