As Anders zeroes in on Williams, here are five things you might not know about him:
1. He moved around a lot when he was young.
Anders was born on a United States Air Force base in the Philippines, where his mother was stationed at the time. During his childhood, he lived in a number of different places, including Okinawa and New Mexico. While Anderson was in his mid-teens, his family settled in Texas.
2. He was a successful football player before moving to mixed martial arts.
Anders was a linebacker at Smithson Valley High School in Texas and earned a football scholarship to the University of Alabama (2006-09). In his final year at Alabama, the Crimson Tide won the BCS National Championship. The tenacious but undersized linebacker was the team’s top performer in its title-clinching victory over Texas, as he made seven tackles and forced a fumble. It was the highlight of Anders’ college football career. Anders signed with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, only to be cut, and after stints in the Canadian Football League and Arena Football League, he decided to leave the sport behind.
3. He has worked various jobs.
After football and prior to his becoming a full-time mixed martial artist, Anders held a variety of jobs in order to support himself and his young son. His jobs included janitor for LabCorp and customer service representative for AutoTec. Anders intended to pursue a government job, but after befriending UFC heavyweight Walt Harris in 2011, he set his sights on a career in MMA. His wife, Yasmin, eventually persuaded him to quit his day job and go all-in with fighting. Anders was 25 at the time.
4. He has a wealth of amateur experience.
Anders competed in 22 amateur MMA fights before making his pro debut in August 2015. It afforded him the opportunity to hone his skills and drop the necessary weight to meet the 185-pound threshold for middleweights. Anders weighed 235 pounds when he played football for the University of Alabama. He showed a propensity for the striking arts early on, as he won four of his last five amateur contests by knockout or technical knockout.
5. Work ethic remains one of his strong suits.
Anders never shies away from hard work. The Spartan Fitness representative has described himself in interviews as being “the hardest working man in the room.” Anders credits his military upbringing for his work ethic, and he often talks about pushing past limits and references his overwhelming ambition to be the best. Before he became a full-time fighter, he claims he woke up daily at 4 a.m. to train before going to work. Once a workday ended, Anders headed straight to the gym. He also supplemented his income by giving private MMA lessons. His efforts have certainly reaped rewards.