SCRAPP! FIGHT MAGAZINE
August - 2015
35
Mr. Hyde. He changes, you
know, his body language
and his persona. You really
can’t argue with his results.
He demands the most out of
his players and they get the
most out of him. You’ll have
a hard time finding anybody
who pays more attention to
detail than Coach Saban.”
Coach Saban is definitely
someone who you could
learn something from. For
someone who pays so much
attention to detail, you can
understand why his players
do so well. For Anders, not
only did he do well playing
football, but he took that at-
tention to detail away from
Saban and has applied it to his
MMA career, compiling a 17-
3-1 amateur record. Anders
talked about the attention to
detail he took away from his
college football coach.
“Coach Saban definitely
helped me for my fighting
career,” said Anders. “He
always, always, preached
about attention to detail.
He preached about doing
stuff right the first time. So
whenever I am learning a
new technique, you know
that my coach Chris Conol-
ley shows me, I try to be as
detail oriented as possible. I
do not want to gain in one
area and lack in another. I
do my best to improve ev-
erything and not just one
particular thing. I find myself
to be very detailed oriented
and I am always looking to
get better.”
Anders has had a very suc-
cessful amateur career and
has made the decision to turn
professional. Anders can use
his attention to detail as he
prepares for his professional
debut on August 22. Anders
talked about the decision to
turn pro.
“I am managed by [UFC vet-
eran] Charles McCarthy, who
is very good friends with my
coach Chris Conolley, so you
know, I am in the best situa-
tion possible,” said Anders.
“My coach and my manager
have a great relationship so
they trust each other on what
they say about me. Chris felt
comfortable about me go-
ing pro, he told Charles, and
Charles watched the film
from my last fights. Charles
felt the same thing and they
got together and felt it was
time for me to go pro. What
better place to have your pro
debut than being a former
Alabama football player and
fighting in Tuscaloosa, home
of the Crimson Tide, as your
first professional bout? The
stars aligned perfectly for me
to take this fight. I am really
looking forward to putting
my skills to the test.”
Anders is right, there is not
better place to have his pro-
fessional debut than in Tus-
caloosa, where he is most
famous for his play in the na-
tional championship and time
as a member of the Alabama
Crimson Tide. Anders talked
about how good it is going to
feel to fight where he played
his college football.
“It is awesome,” Anders said
with excitement. “I could
not have planned it any bet-
ter. The fans here [in Tusca-
loosa] are great. I have not
played football for Alabama
in about five years and they
hear my name and instantly
remember the plays I made
in the past. It is awesome to
have a fan base like that. To
go back to the home where
the fan base is located is
quite the honor. I am looking
forward to getting in there
and putting on a show for
the Alabama fans. I fought
one time here as an amateur
and lost, but I do not think
history will repeat itself on
the twenty-second.”
Anders will try to make sure
that history does not re-
peat itself in, Tuscaloosa, at
Strikehard Productions 40,
on August 22 in his profes-
sional debut.
