CULLMAN, Ala. (WIAT)- Eryk Anders knows something about winning.  In 2009, he forced a key fumble to help cement Alabama's first National Championship in 17 years.  "It's really kind of hard to articulate, you know, that kind of feeling that I haven't duplicated since," he says.

After the '09 season Anders had a brief stint with the CFL, before looking for his next venture.  He found it in the octagon.  "I'm just competitive, I love to compete and I felt, without football, something was missing."

After training for five months, he made his Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) debut Saturday night in Cullman.  His bout was part of the first-ever MMA event sanctioned by the state of Alabama.  "It's a total body sport.  Not only are you [getting] cardiovascular, breathing hard and stuff, but your muscles get tired you start aching.  When someone's hitting on you with out pads or a helmet or leg pads, it takes it's toll," he said before his inaugural bout.

The drive that led him to the BCS National Championship is the same, but after that, his new passion is MUCH different than football.  "With football, if we lose a game some people can be like, 'Oh well he got burned, quarterback threw the interception, running back fumbled.'  If I get beat here, I can't blame anybody but myself."

He picked up where he left off with his winning ways, defeating Kevin Tidwell in the first round by submission.