Which NFL team was UFC middleweight Eryk Anders contracted to before he took up MMA?

Before entering MMA, Eryk Anders was a professional American footballer for the NFL team Cleveland Browns and also played in the Canadian Football League. However, his football career didn't go as planned. He was cut from the Cleveland Browns and eventually pursued an amateur career in MMA.

During an interview on The MMA Hour in December 2017, Anders stated that MMA is much safer than professional football with fewer injuries in the sport.

Watch the UFC fighter speak about his former football career below:

Anders made his first MMA appearance in an Alabama regional event in 2012, where he beat Kevin Tidwell. The former American footballer had a long amateur career, waiting three years before eventually turning professional.

His first professional bout was against Josh Raspberry at SHP 40, with both fighters debuting in the sport. Anders won via knockout in round one. He didn't suffer his first defeat until entering the UFC.

Eryk Anders lost to Lyoto Machida at UFC Fight Night 125, after winning his first two bouts in the organization against Markus Perez and Rafael Natal. However, life in the UFC would only get tougher for Anders, who went on to lose his next three out of four fights.

After some mixed success in the organization, the 35-year-old is currently on a two-fight skid, with Andre Muniz and Jun Yong Park both getting the better of him. His most impressive win in the promotion was beating MMA veteran Gerald Meerschaert via decision.

---

What is Eryk Anders' UFC record?

Eryk Anders has had an up-and-down career since joining the UFC in 2017. 'Ya Boi' has amassed an organizational record of six wins, seven losses and one no-contest.

The no-contest result came against Darren Stewart after Anders landed an illegal knee in the first round. However, he managed to correct the result by beating Stewart via decision in his very next fight.

The 35-year-old has lost a lot of fights in the UFC, but many of those defeats were against quality opponents. His first loss came against Lyoto Machida. Anders has also been beaten by Thiago Santos, Khalil Rountree, Krzysztof Jotko and Jun Yong Park.

When 'Ya Boi' does win, he usually strings them together, winning back-to-back fights on two occasions.