The push for progress is what fuels everything in Corey Anderson.

Anderson's pursuit of growth, both personal and professional, borders on the brink of obsession as it is a constant end goal broken up into however many things the Illinois native does on a given day. And while that may sound exhausting, it is the only approach Anderson allows because it's all he's ever known.

"My father always said, 'If you don't work, you don't eat,' and that created a work ethic for me at a young age.," Anderson said. "I've never been afraid to put in work because that is truly the only way you are ever going to improve and this holds true in whatever you are doing.

"You have to keep your foot on the gas in this game because the one second you take off someone else is working. They just passed you up that fast. Every rep of every drill of every day you have to give your all and nothing less. Either go hard or don't bother showing up because I'm going to put it on you."

Following his successful run to win Season 19 of "The Ultimate Fighter," Anderson packed his bags and headed to the East Coast. Working with Frankie Edgar and his team allowed Anderson to get an up-close look at a champion's drive and determination, and the light heavyweight knew that's the type of guidance he needed on a daily basis.



Photo credit: © Joshua Dahl-USA TODAY Sports

"Working with Frankie and the team has been a blessing," Anderson said. "He's the general of the Iron Army, and we go hard in the gym. Every fighter is working to push the fighter next to them and when that happens we all get better. My game has developed so much since making the decision to train in New Jersey and I'm grateful they took me in.

"All I want from my teammates to respect me, love me and think the best of me. If I'm doing everything to make them happy and keep them wanting to work with me, then that is a win. If they are inviting me back to the gym day after day that's what I want. I came to New Jersey to learn from the best and it's an honor to do so."

Even though Anderson is still in the early stages of his time working alongside the former lightweight champion and current featherweight contender, Edgar's praise for the 27-year-old is strong.

"We love having him here," Edgar said back in May. "That kid works his ass off and you never have to worry about Corey slacking in the gym. He gets after it and it pushes everyone to work harder. That's the approach I've always taken and he's a good fit for how we do things."

For the past few months, Anderson has been back on his steady grind and waiting for his next call from the UFC. It's been nearly five months since his last trip to the Octagon where he faced Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 198 in Curitiba, Brazil.

The former UFC and Pride champion was originally slated to face Rashad Evans on the card, but when "Suga" was forced to pull out of the fight, Anderson saw an opening to step in against a certified legend. The Rockford native saw the bout as a big opportunity to advance his career and approached the fight with the utmost intensity.



May 14, 2016; Curitiba, Brazil; Corey Anderson (blue) and Mauricio Rua (red) exchange blows during UFC Fight Night at Arena Atletico Paranaense. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

"Nobody wanted to take that fight. It was two days after I beat Tom Lawlor and Rashad [Evans] got hurt, and that spot opened up. I said I'll take it and right away I was back on the books. I don't care who it is I just want to fight. I'm here to be serious and I don't pick and choose fights.

"I'm always ready to go, but now I'm going to have to put some serious thought into the fights I take and where those fights take place. I don't want to fight someone in their home country after what happened with Shogun because if it happens to go to the judges then it may be the same thing all over."

The fight with Rua was a back-and-forth affair that tested the up-and-coming lightweight at a new measure. Anderson knew a rough opening round filled with adversity had him in the hole going into the second frame but believed his work throughout the final 10 minutes would be enough to secure the victory.

"I respect Shogun. He's a legend and a former champion," Anderson said. "He fought a good fight. He was on his defense, kept his hands up a lot more, and I learned a lot about myself in that fight. I got dropped twice in that fight--first time it's ever happened to me--and I kept going. I hit the canvas, got back to my feet and still kept coming at him.

"I didn't cower away. I wasn't scared to get back into it with him and that's not something you always see. I came out and threw more punches and kicks because I know I had to steal those rounds.

"Looking at the fight overall, I could have done more in the first round but it was tough because my shoulder popped out. I threw an overhand right, he blocked it, and it forced my shoulder to dislocate. That slowed me down a bunch because I couldn't throw the right hand without it hurting and there's only so much you can do with one arm.

"I had to go to the takedown in the second round to get my shoulder to pop back in. Once I got him to the ground and realized I put a legend on his back the fight should be mine. It was time to do what we do in training. At the end of the day, I didn't feel short-changed in the cage because I felt we did enough to win, but I felt that fight was taken away from me."



May 14, 2016; Curitiba, Brazil; Mauricio Rua (red) has his arm raised in victory after defeating Corey Anderson (blue) during UFC Fight Night at Arena Atletico Paranaense. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

When the judges' scores were read, Anderson not only found himself on the losing end, but in disbelief as well. He didn't understand how the scores were reached, and the loss had an impact that still stings months later.

"They say never leave it in the hands of the judges but that's easier said than done. I'm not out there playing patty cake. I'm trying to put them away, but they train just like I train and are always going to be looking to get back on their feet. That fight just left a weird taste in my mouth because you never want to go into a fight worrying about any other circumstances but the fight itself.

"I went back to the hotel room and found the fight online. I studied it for a few hours and really feel the judges didn't account for all the punches I landed or the damage I inflicted. I feel they didn't give me anything on my takedowns or when I put him on the mat in the first round after kicking both of his feet out from under him. Maybe it's because he is Shogun and a legend, but that loss ate at me, man.

"You don't want to be worrying if the guy you are fighting being from the place you are fighting him in will have any impact, but that's going to be hard to do going forward. I definitely want to get one fighting inside the states before leaving the country again. That's just where I'm at."



Nov 7, 2015; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Fabio Maldonado (red gloves) fights Corey Anderson (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ibirapuera Gymnasium. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

In the aftermath of his loss to Rua at UFC 198, Anderson returned to the Midwest and found himself going through the motions for the first time in as long as he could remember. The drive to get up and achieve was burning on a slow simmer, and the moxie to dive into the rigors of the day just wasn't there.

Recognizing this brought Anderson to take a hard look in the mirror and truly figure out the road ahead. A short time later he was back in his car driving east, re-ignited and ready to get back on track.

"I had to dig in and really find out if this was the path I wanted to stay on, and I'm happy I got that spark back," Anderson said. "I found that eager feeling where I wanted to get in there and take it to somebody inside the cage. I didn't want to just win anymore. I needed to get in there and make somebody feel the way I felt and to make sure a month and a half later they would still  be feeling it.

"The next beating I put on someone I guarantee they are going to feel it so I jumped in the car and headed back to New Jersey and I've been working hard ever since."

With renewed focus, Anderson returned to New Jersey with increased intensity. He knew things would have to be taken up a notch in the gym but wasn't sure how that would translate to his regular training partners.

Staying true to himself, Anderson laid it all on the line to his cohorts in the Iron Army and was pleased they were all in full agreement.



Sep 4, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Corey Anderson on the scale during the weigh-in for his light heavyweight bout against Jan Blachowicz (not pictured) at UFC 191 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

"I've been working on my power, strength, and everything imaginable. I should have finished the fight the last time and I'm not going to make that mistake again. But in order to fight that way, I have to train that way.

"I'm putting people out in practice and I'm not doing it to be a dick or anything. I told all my sparring partners, 'It's not my intention to hurt you, but I have to start training like I fight and I'm coming in here to put you out.' My training partners respected that and said, 'OK, cool. You want to go hard, let's go hard.' And that's where we're at now and things are firing on all cylinders."

Anderson's current mindset has progress back at the helm, and he's itching to get back into the cage to show his development. He wants to prove he gets better with each and every go and the only way for him to do that is to land a date under the bright lights.

That said, things have been moving at a slow pace since his last outing, and Anderson is quick to admit there has been some frustration because of it.

"I originally wanted to fight on November 5 in Mexico City, but that's not going to happen," Anderson said. "I also wanted to get on that card at Madison Square Garden, but that's all booked up now. We are shooting for early December now and just have to find an opponent. We are waiting for Joe Silva to come back with a name and hopefully by the end of this week I can be back in a full camp.

"This is the longest I've had off since the finale and I'm ready to get back in there. I like to do a lot of things on the outside to make money, but fighting is my job, and I feel like I'm not working right now."

During his time on the sidelines Anderson has also been keeping a close eye on the division he calls home. Suspensions and injuries have forced a lull in the upper tier, while matchmaking he deems confusing has limited opportunities in other areas. Anderson simply wants to continue his quest toward title contention, but that mission cannot progress without opportunity.

"This division is a mess. Nikita Krylov beat four unranked guys and somehow jumped into the No. 10 spot one slot ahead of me. You would figure he'd have to beat at least one guy in the top 15 to get that spot, but that doesn't appear to be the case. I've been calling that guy out forever and trying to get that fight.

"Nobody else seems to want to face Krylov, but I'm ready anytime they want to give it to me. I posted something about wanting to fight him every day while he was posting about fighting other people. Now they went and gave him this Misha [Cirkunov] guy who has two fights in the UFC. I don't understand it. All these big numbers guys fighting low numbers just doesn't make sense.

"I'm just waiting for the call and they are signing all these new guys to fight ranked guys when there are already guys on the roster who will take those fights. I just want to fight, man. Whoever they give me, wherever and whenever it is I'll be ready. I just want something soon."



March 5, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Corey Anderson reacts to his victory by decision against Tom Lawlor during UFC 196 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

While Anderson waits for his next opponent to materialize, he's still rummaging through the aftermath of his last outing for lessons to be learned. His intention is to make every step count, and that requires being able to face up to harsh realities when they are presented.

Anderson knows the only thing he can control is how he performs inside the cage and the work he invests to prepare himself. His goals remain the same, and things that needed to be adjusted in that regard have been addressed.

Now Anderson is looking forward to finding out the date when he can unleash all the pent-up energy and re-announce himself to the fight game.

"It all comes back to the Shogun fight," Anderson said. "Had I won that fight it would have moved me up higher in the rankings and I probably could have fought again sooner. Look at all the people who have fought one or two times since I last fought in May. I probably could have landed another top-ranked guy and ended this year and started next year in title contention. That was the original goal, and now I have to readjust that.

"I've been on hold for a little bit and have to work my way back up. I probably need two or three more wins to get to where I want to be. And they can't be just good fights, they have to be dominant fights. I can't leave it to the judges anymore. It's time to get back to fighting the way I did before I got into the UFC and be relentless. Bring that relentless pressure and just put it on anyone at anytime.

"I'm going to show the world a different Corey Anderson and I'm coming out relentless."