Eryk Anders Prepared For Beginning of the End on Saturday at UFC 289

Will the former Alabama football star be able to kick off the final chapter of his MMA career in style on Saturday night?

Joe Gaither | Jun 9, 2023

Former Alabama Crimson Tide football player and current UFC middleweight Eryk Anders knows the path laid before him.

When Anders steps into the octagon this weekend at UFC 289, he knows it will be the beginning of the end of his MMA career.

The 2009 national champion told media ahead of the week that he would only be making five more appearances in the UFC.

“Five (more fights) puts me at 20 UFC fights and I think that’s a really good – not many people get that many fights with the UFC,” Anders told reporters at Wednesday’s UFC 289 media day. “My kids are getting older so it’s time for me to kind of – not really transition into a father role because I’m active in their lives, but going away for two months at a time and being gone fighting then needing surgery and even when I get home, sitting on the couch in a cast or whatever.

“It’s just time for me to put more into them. I’m already 36, so I kind of already see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Anders (15-7) is set to take on Marc-Andre Barriault (15-6) to kick off UFC 289's main card.

Barriault has been asking matchmakers for a pairing with Anders for quite some time and now the Canadian will get his wish.

Anders won in his last appearance, TKO-ing Kyle Daukaus in the second round. Likewise Barriault was victorious in his last matchup, also a second round TKO, against Julian Marquez.

Oddsmakers consider Barriault to be a slight favorite in the contest (-146) and most pundits expect the fight to remain standing throughout the evening.

The event can be seen via ESPN+ PPV and will begin at 9 p.m. CT.

See Also: