‘We’re Talking About Practice!’

Ryan Bader and Corey Anderson know each other very well. Not only did they brush shoulders from time to time in various events throughout their Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) careers, but they also trained together in the past.

Bader brought Anderson in a couple of times to help him prepare him for a few fights during his time in UFC. Things seem to have gone well between the two talented light heavyweights until Bader took exception with Anderson after he let it be known that he had success against him during training years later.

“Maybe he don’t want to acknowledge because he is trying to block out, or maybe he thinks nothing really happened because maybe he really does think it’s practice,” Anderson told “The Schmo” during a recent interview. “But most people, especially in this sport, you don’t let anyone come into your gym and outwork you.

“You remember those training sessions. If somebody comes into my gym, I remember exactly what happened. If he got the best of me, the next time I come back I am going to get some get back,” he concluded.

Bader offered up his response to Anderson, downplaying any success “Overtime” may have had against him by saying at the end of the day it is only practice.

“Corey is out there talking about how he knows or whatever,” Bader told MMA Junkie. “He knows what? We were sparring. I’m in the middle of camp and maybe he got a take down in sparring or something like that? If he’s holding on to that, I’m not that guy,” said Bader before channeling his inner-Allen Iverson. “We’re talking about practice.”

For Bader, that part that really seems to grinds his gears is the fact that Anderson went public with something that should’ve stayed in the gym.

“Second of all, even if we really did, you don’t go around telling media and other people when you’re a paid sparring partner. That’s like an unwritten rule. Whatever. If he needs to use that, it is what it is. But I’m the guy that’s the heavyweight champion, a double champion. I’m only getting better.”

Bader and Anderson will finally get the chance to prove who is the better fighter when it counts when they collide in the co-main event of Bellator 268, which is set to pop off tonight (Sat., Oct. 16, 2021) in Phoenix, Arizona. The winner will advance to the finals of the Light Heavyweight Grand Prix for the chance to win the division title and $1 million.

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