Corey Anderson
Active 2014–present · rated in 3 editions · peak overall 83.0
Scouting report
Winning The Ultimate Fighter Season 19 before compiling a run over elite contenders, Corey "Overtime" Anderson overwhelmed opponents with wrestling and pace. Born in Rockton, Illinois, Anderson scored a first-round knockout over Johnny Walker and controlled Glover Teixeira, his style driven by a 91 Wrestling rating and 92 Cardio.
Peak ratings
By edition
Anderson established himself among the light heavyweight ranks between 2016 and 2017, defeating Tom Lawlor at UFC 196 in Las Vegas and stopping Sean O'Connell with ground-and-pound in Albany, while dropping bouts to Mauricio Rua, Jimi Manuwa, and Ovince Saint Preux. His collegiate wrestling pace and top control are reflected in an 89 Wrestling and 90 Cardio.
Anderson authored a four-fight winning streak between 2018 and 2019, dominating Patrick Cummins in Atlantic City, out-wrestling former title challenger Glover Teixeira in Hamburg, outpointing Ilir Latifi at UFC 232, and knocking out Johnny Walker in 2:07 at UFC 244 in Madison Square Garden. His pace and takedowns justify his 91 Wrestling and 92 Cardio.
Following a knockout loss to Jan Blachowicz in February 2020 in Rio Rancho, Anderson signed with Bellator MMA where he reached the Light Heavyweight Grand Prix finals, stopping Melvin Manhoef, Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov and Ryan Bader on the way. His collegiate wrestling base and pace anchor his 91 Wrestling and 92 Cardio.
Corey Anderson and the wrestling base that never stopped moving
Corey Anderson grew up in Rockton, Illinois, and started wrestling in the third grade. He was a junior-college All-American at Lincoln College and finished second at the 2012 NCAA Division III championships for Wisconsin-Whitewater. Ben Askren pointed him to MMA, and he won The Ultimate Fighter 19 light heavyweight tournament with a 61-second finish of Matt Van Buren.
Anderson, attribute by attribute
Boxing. A quiet 82 on his best card. He hurt Johnny Walker in 2019 and finished him in the first round.
Kickboxing. His lowest rating at 74. Jimi Manuwa knocked him out in the first round in 2017, and Ovince Saint Preux finished him with a head kick.
Wrestling. 91, right behind the top of the card. His college record includes a second-place finish at the 2012 NCAA Division III championships.
BJJ. A decent 76, 15 points below his wrestling.
Strength. 86. He was strong enough to control Glover Teixeira and Ilir Latifi for decisions in 2018.
Durability. 82. He went the distance in three straight fights in 2018.
Cardio. The top of the card at 92. He won the second round against Saint Preux in 2017 with wrestling and took decisions over Cummins, Teixeira and Latifi in 2018.
Fight IQ. 84. He went 3-0 in 2018 against Patrick Cummins, Teixeira and Latifi.
A wrestler who does not slow down
Cardio is 92 on his best card, one point ahead of wrestling at 91. He beat Patrick Cummins, Glover Teixeira and Ilir Latifi in a row in 2018, all by decision. That run gave him his best rating of 83 overall. In Bellator he later won the vacant light heavyweight title over Karl Moore by unanimous decision.
Striking defense: Kickboxing at 74
Kickboxing is his lowest number at 74. Manuwa knocked him out in the first round in 2017, and Saint Preux ended a fight with a head kick after Anderson had won the second round. Against Vadim Nemkov in 2022, he went 0 for 16 on takedowns and lost a decision on the feet.
Keep exploring
Closest light heavyweight profiles to Corey Anderson, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Ryan Baderbest wrestling 89 · weakest kickboxing 74
- Rashad Evansbest wrestling 90 · weakest bjj 80
- Tito Ortizbest wrestling 90 · weakest kickboxing 70
- Phil Davisbest wrestling 92 · weakest kickboxing 76
- Light Heavyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Protecting your streak: a guide that fits Corey Anderson's strongest attribute, Cardio.
Draft Corey Anderson into your build
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Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Corey Anderson is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Corey Anderson's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.