Rising UFC middleweight Eryk Anders headlines Saturday's UFC Fight Night 125 card in Belem, Brazil, against Lyoto Machida, and that lofty position is well deserved. 

Anders, a former linebacker for the University of Alabama, is 10-0 as a professional mixed martial artist, earning six knockouts and one submission in those victories. 

Perhaps no win was more impressive than his UFC debut against Rafael Natal in June 2017. 

Fresh off winning the LFA middleweight title at LFA 14, Anders was signed to the big show, and he wasted no time making an impression.

In less than three minutes, the deed was done, and Anders announced his arrival. 

Watch his debut victory below, courtesy of the UFC. 

Anders followed up this victory with another win at UFC Fight Night 123 in Fresno, CA, in December, defeating Markus Perez via unanimous decision. 

Now taking on a former champion in Machida, Anders simultaneously receives his toughest opponent and his biggest opportunity to-date, making Saturday's UFC Belem main event a scrap to keep an eye on.