Corey Anderson scored a first-round knockout victory over Ryan Bader in the semi-finals of the light heavyweight Grand Prix at Bellator 268. The former UFC contender picked up his third win on the trot since switching to Bellator in 2020.The entire MMA community was in awe of Anderson's splendid performance against Bader. Anderson's former colleagues, including Gilbert Burns and Michael Chiesa, were among those who took to Twitter to shower the 32-year-old with praise.Check out the tweets below:Michael Chiesa@MikeMav22Congrats @CoreyA_MMA. I can’t wait to see you fight for a world championship!!!!!!9:00 AM · Oct 17, 2021732Congrats @CoreyA_MMA. I can’t wait to see you fight for a world championship!!!!!!GILBERT BURNS DURINHO@GilbertDurinhoWow8:56 AM · Oct 17, 20211005WowFrankie Edgar@FrankieEdgar@CoreyA_MMA looked amazing tonight! Sky is the limit!8:56 AM · Oct 17, 2021184@CoreyA_MMA looked amazing tonight! Sky is the limit!Scott Coker@ScottCoker.@CoreyA_MMA moves onto the world Grand Prix finals. #Bellator2689:08 AM · Oct 17, 202111420.@CoreyA_MMA moves onto the world Grand Prix finals. #Bellator268 https://t.co/AiXWZk3Q7TAriel Helwani@arielhelwaniWhat a win for Corey Anderson.9:12 AM · Oct 17, 202159757What a win for Corey Anderson. https://t.co/RoCcqsqTLSAnatomy of a Fighter@WillHarrisAOAFJust so you know, @CoreyA_MMA is 1-1 against the current @ufc light heavyweight champion. #bellator2689:12 AM · Oct 17, 2021264Just so you know, @CoreyA_MMA is 1-1 against the current @ufc light heavyweight champion. #bellator268Luke Thomas@lthomasnewsThat is really, really excellent timing. Great reaction and presence of mind, too. twitter.com/spinninbackfis…Spinnin Backfist@SpinninBackfistCorey Anderson defeats Ryan Bader in the first round 👀 #Bellator2689:08 AM · Oct 17, 20211406Corey Anderson defeats Ryan Bader in the first round 👀 #Bellator268 https://t.co/IM5XypktXPThat is really, really excellent timing. Great reaction and presence of mind, too. twitter.com/spinninbackfis…Nolan King@mma_kingsWhen you walk the walk, I guess you can talk the talk 🤷🏻‍♂️. Hope Bader bounces back. twitter.com/mmajunkie/stat…MMA Junkie@MMAjunkieCorey Anderson went full villain mode at #Bellator268 when he knocked out Ryan Bader in 51 seconds – and the crowd let him hear it. 🤬Full results: bit.ly/3lNkAET9:06 AM · Oct 17, 2021312Corey Anderson went full villain mode at #Bellator268 when he knocked out Ryan Bader in 51 seconds – and the crowd let him hear it. 🤬Full results: bit.ly/3lNkAET https://t.co/bozQS7I2EtWhen you walk the walk, I guess you can talk the talk 🤷🏻‍♂️. Hope Bader bounces back. twitter.com/mmajunkie/stat…Ariel Helwani@arielhelwaniGood for Corey Anderson. Wasn’t feeling the love in the UFC. Took a chance. Is making more money and is now one win away from snatching gold.8:58 AM · Oct 17, 202187748Good for Corey Anderson. Wasn’t feeling the love in the UFC. Took a chance. Is making more money and is now one win away from snatching gold.Marc Raimondi@marc_raimondiCorey Anderson with a huge knockout of Ryan Bader! Overhand right on the ear. Anderson is now in the Bellator Light Heavyweight Grand Prix finals, which will be a title fight. Exactly where he wanted to be when he made the move from the UFC last year. #Bellator2688:57 AM · Oct 17, 2021836Corey Anderson with a huge knockout of Ryan Bader! Overhand right on the ear. Anderson is now in the Bellator Light Heavyweight Grand Prix finals, which will be a title fight. Exactly where he wanted to be when he made the move from the UFC last year. #Bellator268Aaron Bronsteter@aaronbronsteterCorey Anderson is just fighting with a confidence and freedom that he wasn't able to channel with the frequency that he does now.I'm eager to see how he performs in the final.8:56 AM · Oct 17, 2021451Corey Anderson is just fighting with a confidence and freedom that he wasn't able to channel with the frequency that he does now.I'm eager to see how he performs in the final.Corey Anderson knocked out Ryan Bader in brutal fashion at Bellator 268Cory Anderson's bout with Ryan Bader started with both fighters testing the waters using sharp jabs. However, things were about to change drastically. Almost a minute into the fight, Anderson decided to put his foot on the gas. He landed a brutal right hook below Bader's ear. The strike caused the 38-year-old to lose balance and drop to the canvas. It's likely that Bader lost equilibrium after the strike below his ear.Corey Anderson could smell blood. He immediately pounced on his fallen opponent and started inflicting severe ground-and-pound punishment. It was only a matter of time before referee Jason Herzog stepped in and stopped the contest, handing Anderson one of the greatest wins of his career. It only took him 51 seconds to finish Ryan Bader.With the win over Bader, Corey Anderson heads into the finals of the light heavyweight Grand Prix. He is set to fight for the title next. He will face either Vadim Nemkov or Julius Anglickas.Corey Anderson, a product of UFC's reality TV show The Ultimate Fighter, left the promotion after his loss to Jan Blachowicz in February 2020. On his Bellator debut, Anderson faced Melvin Manhoef. He dominated Manhoef on the way to a second-round TKO victory.