Paul Daley will not be the only UK based talent competing at the upcoming Bellator 179 card, as Michael Page will be sharing that honor with him.
Derek Anderson, who will be facing Page on the card, says he’s the first true test for Page in his professional MMA career, despite being a lightweight coming off of a loss.
“He drops his hands all the time. What do you mean holes?” Anderson said to MMA Junkie. “I definitely am kind of a pressure fighter, just instinctively, I like to go forward. And being the taller guy, usually, at lightweight, I can’t really do that, so it’s going to be nice being the shorter guy and put the pressure on him. And it will be a good fight. I’m going to give him his first test. He’s not going to pass.”
Anderson has primarily competed in the lightweight division, but his last fight in Bellator MMA was a catchweight division fight. As he prepares to head over to the United Kingdom, Anderson is confident he has the skills to defeat Page.
“They gave me the Michael Page fight and, after the last time trying to move up to 170 and come back down, it was just a little bit tough,” Anderson said. “And, going back up right now, I might not make it back down. I probably can, but I don’t want to hurt my body anymore. And I’m confident in my skills enough to mess around with the welterweight division a little more now. Wrestling kept me out of the division before, but my game has become nice and well rounded, and I definitely can strike with welterweights anyway.”
Bellator 179 takes place on Friday, May 19 from the SSE Arena in London, England with Paul Daley and Rory MacDonald headlining.
