Corey Anderson experienced a frustrating year after winning the Bellator light heavyweight title, as he faced delays and setbacks in securing a fight, particularly a trilogy bout with Vadim Nemkov, who ultimately declined to face him again, leaving Anderson uncertain about his future fight schedule.
It’s been a rollercoaster of a year for Corey Anderson. Winning the vacant Bellator light heavyweight title in March was a dream come true. But, the months that followed? Frustratingly fightless.
Anderson was itching for action, waiting for Bellator or PFL to book his next bout. When he heard Vadim Nemkov was set to return in January at a PFL event in Dubai, Anderson saw his chance. Even if it meant moving up to heavyweight, he was ready.
“I reached out to Bellator and Mike Kogan right then,” Anderson shared with MMA Fighting. He wanted the fight badly. “They said [Ante Delija is] hurt.” A glimmer of hope flickered as they promised to do their best.
For Anderson, this wasn’t about money. It was about settling scores and proving who’s best. Their first fight ended in a no-contest due to an accidental clash of heads. The rematch saw Nemkov take the win by unanimous decision.
Plans for a trilogy were in motion back in 2023, but Nemkov shifted focus to heavyweight fights instead. Yet, Anderson was thrilled when his manager Ali Abdelaziz told him the dream fight was on.
Disbelief hit Anderson hard. “I called Bellator… is he pulling my chain?” he recounted. Nope, it was real. They agreed to the fight, much to everyone’s surprise.
With excitement bubbling over, Anderson planned around the holidays. Training camp would start in Vegas before heading back east to New Jersey.
Rumors started swirling once he arrived in Vegas. Was Nemkov backing out again? An interview translated from Russian had Nemkov denying the fight offer altogether.
Then came the gut punch: “He’s doing it again,” Anderson heard. Nemkov claimed he needed more time to prepare—despite having fought twice already!
Bellator urged Anderson to keep training while they worked on securing the fight. But just two days later, bad news struck.
Saturday morning brought an email: Scratch it. Nemkov wanted another opponent; he didn’t want Anderson.
Anderson was stunned: “No way he said that.” But Bellator confirmed it—Nemkov refused to fight him.
Packing up with no certainty of when he’d compete again, Anderson felt deflated. His heart was set on facing Nemkov one last time.
“Now I know for a fact,” Anderson said about Nemkov’s fear of fighting him. “He got scared.”
Looking ahead, Anderson hopes for a fight in early 2025. The year started strong but ended sourly for him.
Reflecting on his future with Nemkov, Anderson feels the trilogy will never happen now. As rumors suggest, Nemkov might be nearing the end of his contract.
“Dec. 22 will be the longest I’ve been out,” Anderson lamented, frustrated by inactivity and advancing age.
Despite setbacks, Anderson keeps faith that things will work out eventually—trusting in God’s plan for what comes next.