Corey Anderson dismisses verbal sparring with Jamahal Hill, questioning his opponents’ caliber.
Corey Anderson has always been known for speaking his mind, even if it means ruffling some feathers along the way. This became evident when he compared Bellator’s light heavyweight division to the UFC’s top 205-pound fighters, sparking a fiery Twitter exchange with Jamahal Hill. The fighters exchanged several messages, with Hill targeting Anderson’s resume, claiming he struggled in the “B league” at Bellator.
Hill eventually responded with a video on his YouTube channel, but Anderson found the entire exchange amusing and emphasized that there is no rivalry between him and the current UFC light heavyweight champion.
Laughing off the situation, Anderson addressed Hill in an interview with MMA Hook, saying, “All that talk he’s doing, ‘show my resume.’ Yeah, against who? Somebody messaged me asking about the beef. It’s not beef. It’s spam. That’s the one meat nobody wants to eat. He can say whatever he wants; it doesn’t affect me. He won the belt off someone I dominated on two weeks’ notice, and then they denied me a title fight afterward. Yet, they gave him the belt. You can’t even compare to what I’ve achieved.”
“Yes, you’re the champ, but who’s in the division? You didn’t fight Magomed Ankalaev, whom I believe is the best. You didn’t fight Jiri Prochazka. You beat Glover Teixeira, who is 44 and even admitted he retired because he no longer had it. He told you that. He doesn’t have it anymore, and you went to a decision with him. Apart from that, you haven’t beaten anyone noteworthy, anyone who has accomplished anything.”
During their initial exchange, Hill brought up Anderson’s past losses, including a knockout he suffered against Ovince Saint Preux in 2017. Hill reminded Anderson that he defeated Saint Preux in under two rounds when they faced off three years later.
Anderson acknowledges the setbacks in his career but attributes them to always seeking out the best competition from the moment he joined the UFC roster, even with only three fights on his record. This is why Anderson is willing to compare his resume to Hill’s, regardless of wins or losses.
“Everyone is talking about him being the champ, but who has he beaten?” Anderson stated. “If you look at his resume, it’ll say UFC champ, but what names are underneath? None. So why should I waste my time and energy arguing about it? I’m laughing. I’m in the car with my wife, tweeting and laughing, like, dude, you’re really trying to have this argument right now?”
“People will say he’s the best because he’s in the UFC, and I’m in Bellator. Say what you want. Put us in the cage, and I’ll outclass you, playboy. You don’t stand a chance against me. There’s no point in going back and forth.”
Anderson realized the futility of arguing with Hill when he mentioned the only loss on the UFC champ’s record, a TKO against Paul Craig after the Scottish light heavyweight broke his arm during a submission attempt and followed up with a series of strikes.
“He said he had one loss due to injury—that right there shows his mindset,” Anderson remarked. “It wasn’t an injury. Somebody snapped your arm. That’s not an injury. That’s called getting submitted. It shows you don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
“There’s no beef. If I see him, I’d just laugh and keep walking. He might say something to me, but I won’t be bothered.”
While competing in Bellator, Anderson has consistently aimed to be considered the best in the sport. He mentioned that Hill is not the first UFC champion to get touchy over a comment he made.
“The last four UFC champs, three of them took time out of their day to tweet something about me not being the best,” Anderson revealed. “I don’t pay attention to their interviews, so why are they interested in mine? This is the third time in a row I’ve fought, and somebody from another organization has something to say about me. I’m not talking about them.”
“All I said was that I’m the best, or this time I said [Vadim] Nemkov is the best. They asked me who I would put in my top three: me, Nemkov, Ankalaev, or Jiri Prochazka if I had to add someone else. I didn’t even mention his name. How did he even see that tweet? I don’t think about it that much. I forgot he was even the champ. But I guess my bad? If you’re the best, you don’t need to say anything.”
Since Anderson competes in Bellator and Hill in the UFC, the chances of them ever facing each other are virtually nonexistent. Therefore, they can’t settle their differences inside the cage.
Anderson isn’t bothered by this fact as he has plenty to keep him occupied in Bellator. Moreover, until this exchange, Hill wasn’t even on his radar.
“They gave you something I earned,” Anderson declared. “I did everything I could to earn a title shot, but they wouldn’t give it to me. You had a good following, people laughed at your post, so they gave you a title fight against a guy who was about to retire, and you won. Congratulations. Yes, you have something I don’t, but I have something you don’t—numerous victories over top dogs you’ll never get the chance to face.”
“Lions don’t lose sleep over sheep. Their words don’t bother me. That’s why I’m not calling them out. I don’t think about them. I’m focused on myself and reaching the top.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about MMA rivalry
What sparked the exchange between Corey Anderson and Jamahal Hill?
Corey Anderson sparked the exchange by comparing Bellator’s light heavyweight division to the UFC’s top 205-pound fighters, which led to a fiery Twitter exchange with Jamahal Hill.
How did Corey Anderson respond to Jamahal Hill’s criticisms?
Corey Anderson laughed off the criticisms and questioned Hill’s opponents’ caliber. He highlighted his own accomplishments and dominance in previous fights, suggesting that Hill hadn’t faced credible competition.
Did the exchange escalate into a rivalry?
Corey Anderson dismissed the idea of a rivalry, stating that there was no beef between them. He emphasized that he wasn’t bothered by Hill’s comments and didn’t think much about him or their exchange.
What was Corey Anderson’s perspective on the UFC light heavyweight champion?
Corey Anderson expressed his doubts about the UFC light heavyweight champion’s resume. He questioned who the champion had beaten, pointing out that he hadn’t faced some of the division’s top contenders.
Will Corey Anderson and Jamahal Hill ever fight each other?
Due to competing in different organizations, it is highly unlikely that Corey Anderson and Jamahal Hill will face each other in the cage.
More about MMA rivalry
- Bellator MMA
- UFC Official Website
- Corey Anderson’s Twitter Profile
- Jamahal Hill’s Twitter Profile
- MMA Hook (Source of the interview mentioned)
