Eryk Anders Says He Will Return At Middleweight

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“Ya Boi” prefers to fight at middleweight.

In his latest walkout, Eryk Anders (14-5, 1 NC; 6-5, 1 NC UFC) returned to the 205-pound division for the first time in a couple of years. The occasion was the rematch with Darren Stewart, a necessity after the first time “Ya Boi” and “The Dentist” locked horns was at UFC Fight Night 187, but that night the battle ended in No Contest after Anders landed an illegal knee in round one. Their second clash ended with a unanimous decision in favor of the 34-year old fighter from Alabama. And while the second fight with Stewart was scheduled at light heavyweight, the Spartan Fitness representative feels more comfortable in the 185-pound division. On top of that, he also has a time and a name in mind for his return at middleweight.

“I think I prefer to fight in late October or early November,” he said while talking with Sherdog. “Last year, I was supposed to fight Antonio Arroyo. I made it to the scale but didn't make it to the fight the next day. That one has been a weight on me pretty heavy, so I’d like to fight him in October or November if I could.”

The first Anders-Arroyo matchup never materialized after Ya Boi weighed in at 187.5 pounds. Anders took the fight on short notice and didn’t make the contracted weight. Ultimately, the contenders agreed for a catchweight, but Anders pulled out the day of the fight due to issues concerning his health.

Tudor Leonte started writing about mixed martial arts in 2013 for Italian media outlets. His journey with Sherdog begun in 2018 and now he covers One Championship and countless European shows. You can follow him on Twitter @MrTudorLeonte.