If you follow the Bellator product, you know that one of the deepest divisions in the promotion is the lightweight division and tomorrow night’s Bellator 141 card in California will feature six of the best fighters in the Bellator 155 pound division.
While most of the talk about the Bellator 141 card involves the main and co-main event, there is a trememdous fight set for the preliminary card as Derek Anderson will look for his fourth win in the Bellator cage when he meets undefeated prospect Brent Primus.
Anderson (12-1, 1NC) holds victories over fighters in the main (Brandon Girtz) and co-main event (Patricky Pitbull), but he is fighting on the preliminary card. This is something Anderson is very familar with and admitted to The MMA Report that it was “pretty disappointing” to find out he would be on the prelims and not the main card.
“I’m not even on the main card and I knocked out the guy in the main event,” Anderson said. “I beat Pitbull too, who is also on the main card. It was pretty disappointing but I guess I get paid the same way either way. I just have to make a statement and I usually get that finish. I am sure I will do it again and we will see how it goes.”
His opponent tomorrow night has made an immediate impact in Bellator. He has scored three wins in Bellator. All by stoppage and all of them have come in the first round. Four of the five victories for Primus have come by submission and Anderson will be ready for the fight wherever it may go.
“I am always ready for anyone on the feet and I am ready for him on the ground too,” he explained. “It does not matter. Whatever we wants to try to do. I am ready for a fight. I am ready for it to go everywhere in the fight and I am going to dominate. I can tap him out. I have good submissions and if he wants to take me down, he better be careful. I am not worried about the ground.”
Bellator 141 can almost be classified as a mini lightweight tournament with the three 155 pound fights that are on this card. The fighter who walks away with the most impressive victory may put themselves right in line to receive the winner of the upcoming title fight between the champion Will Brooks and season ten tournament winner Marcin Held. This is something Anderson is very aware of and he plans to be looking for a finish early to make an impression on the Bellator executives.
“It’s a fight and you never know what is going to happen. I usually get the finish and the way I fight, it usually does not go to a decision. My last fight, I should have finished him way earlier on. But I was trying some new stuff and I just keep evolving. I am sure I am going to finish him pretty quickly. I do not like to put too much pressure on myself because I usually don’t put that pressure on myself and it usually ends up happening. But when I put that pressure on myself, maybe it takes a little longer.”