Watch UFC Fight Night 125: Live stream, fight card, start time, date, TV channel
Eryk Anders could be the next big thing in the UFC middleweight division. He could also just be a flash in the pan. But don't tell that to the former Alabama linebacker who comes into Saturday night's main event with an undefeated record while facing a legend in his backyard.
He isn't sweating it that he'll be facing former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida as the headliner of UFC Fight Night Belem on Saturday, Feb. 2.
"It's not surreal being in this situation," Anders said via ESPN. "I've never once thought a fight was happening too early in my career. Every fight is an opportunity to move up the food chain, so to speak. It's not like, 'Oh my God, I'm fighting Lyoto Machida.'"
Anders struggled with his weight cut for the bout, coming in at 187.9 pounds on his first attempt. But after being granted extra time by the Brazilian commission and Machida, he cut the 1.9 extra pounds in 50 minutes to make the fight official. The same couldn't be said for co-main event fighter Pedro Munhoz, who was scheduled to fight John Dodson at 135 pounds. Munhoz came in at 140 and after discussion, UFC decided to scrap the bout altogether. Here's how the full fight card shakes out with the latest odds.
UFC Fight Night Belem fight card
Favorite Underdog Weightclass Eryk Anders -275 Lyoto Machida +215 Middleweight Valentina Shevchenko -900 Priscilla Cachoeira +550 Women's flyweight Michael Prazeres -130 Desmond Green +100 Lightweight Marcelo Golm -165 Timothy Johnson +135 Heavyweight Marlon Vera -145 Douglas Silva de Andrade +115 Bantamweight Thiago Santos -300 Anthony Smith +230 Middleweight
How to watch main card
Date: Saturday, Feb. 3
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Stream: fubo.TV (try for free!) and FOX Sports Go
Channel: FS1 (check local listings)