Eryk Anders isn’t interested in sitting on the sidelines long after a close loss to Lyoto Machida on Saturday.
Suffice to say, things didn’t turn out Saturday at UFC Belem the way Eryk Anders wanted them to. Though he had Brazilian legend Lyoto Machida hurt and bloodied, Machida got the nod on two of the three judge’s scorecards following the pair’s main event fight. That split decision loss marked the first of Ander’s career. And though beaten, he was not unbowed following the bout. In fact, after telling Cageside Press prior to the fight that he might have a name planned as his next opponent, he was still looking to call his next shot.
“I’m healthy, I have no bumps, bruises or injuries or anything like that” he said of his immediate future at the post-fight press conference in Belem. “I know David Branch’s opponent got moved up to fight Rockhold, so if David Branch has still been training and in shape, and still wants to get down in Orlando, I’d be more than happy to oblige him.”
It’s a fight that makes sense, especially with both fighters coming off high-profile losses. Branch was defeated by Luke Rockhold in the main event of UFC Fight Night 116 last September.
When it comes to UFC Belem’s main event split decision, “what I think is completely irrelevant” Anders said on whether he though he’d won the fight. Instead, he pointed out that the only opinion that mattered belonged to the judges. But as to what went wrong, he was a little more revealing.
“I think I was just a little too hesitant to pull the trigger. I think when I did pull the trigger, I cut him open, I rocked him, took him down” he explained. “Maybe if I do more of that, I win the fight.”
“I think I respected his counter-punching a little too much” he added.
Later on, he suggested that “I should have kept my pressure constant. I was too patient. Being patient and letting the fight come to me was part of the game plan, but I was a little bit too relaxed, too clam, and didn’t throw enough strikes.”
On Saturday, it was experience over youth. “Kudos to Lyoto, he’s a seasoned vet” Anders said of his opponent.
For more coverage of UFC Belem, click here.
