Each time I'm training and sparring, I'm always pushing myself to submit my training partners.
Demetrious Johnson
That's kind of how I see my workmanship: it's how many hours I put in that makes me better.
That's all I care about is being healthy.
I don't care if my opponents are cheating or not.
I'm never going to turn down a fight.
For me, you look at the beginning of his career, the man couldn't even make weight. That's how I found out about Henry Cejudo to begin with. 'Oh, Henry Cejudo misses weight again.' I'm like, who's this guy who keeps missing weight. When the UFC signed him, I was like, 'Great, you guys signed another guy who can't make 125.'
I'm not looking for people to put that vote on me to be prom king of the UFC.
At the end of the day, I know what my skill set and abilities are, and it's just going to take people a little while to recognize it. Whether that comes around or not, I'm not going to sit here in the corner and pout about it.
Coaching 'The Ultimate Fighter' in my weight class, I couldn't do it. I'd basically be coaching people to beat me. I'm going to give you my riddle?
I'd rather have head stomps and kicks to the head on the ground rather than elbows because I think to kick someone in the head while they're laying on their back is very hard. Elbows are easy. You can be here, and I just cut you and won the fight.
I don't bash my company. I don't bash my opponents. I don't miss weight.
My wife is very supportive.
All I can do is make sure Demetrious Johnson does the best he can on fight night and goes out and wins his fights.
At the end of the day, UFC is a business.
Obviously I'd love to see Demetrious Johnson, you know, 'Demetrious Johnson $500,000 payout baby,' absolutely.
I worked a full-time job at a place call Caraustar. We recycle paper, then through recycled paper, we take it and we make V board out of it. If you buy a TV, a new couch, you see these little V boards that make like a V.
There are things - I want to compete in a big tournament, like an eight-man tournament, like the old fighters. You're going to compete; you're going to fight this one and this one.
I don't have small goals; I just have goals, and it's, one, stay healthy; and two, have a very successful career.
My mind can't always be on fighting.
Truly, I am not afraid of one man in this whole UFC Octagon roster. I truly don't care. What's the worst thing that's going to happen to me? I lose. I get knocked out?
If I went up there and beat T.J. Dillashaw at 135 pounds, I have no interest whatsoever in staying at 135. People are like, 'Why not?' and I'm like, 'I have no interest in fighting guys who walk around at 160 pounds.'
I can eat whatever I want, and I don't get over 145 pounds. A lot of the guys who fight at 125 pounds, they get pretty big, and when it gets closer to the fight, they're walking around at 135 pounds. For me, I try to stay the same weight I typically walk around at.
The first time I fought Ian McCall, I cut carbs completely out of my diet all through training camp. I was afraid I wasn't going to make weight, that I'd get on the scale, and it would be all, 'He weighs 128,' and the people would throw cabbage at me. I basically cut all carbs on the diet, just eat chicken and greens all the time.
I've knocked people out from the clinch. I've submitted people from armbars, Kimura, last-second armbars. I've knocked people out with one-hand punch.
I think the reason I'm the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world is I beat everyone in my division.
I'm a good dad. I'm an evolved dad. You know, you see a lot of guys when they're in training camp, they go off, do their own thing. But I'm in the midst of it. Swim lessons? I'm there. Changing diapers, teething, doctor's appointments, I'm there 24/7.
Pay-Per-View is run by drama. It is. It's true. I've done the research for myself. You look at Jon Jones. When Jon Jones fought Machida, probably did about $200,000, $300,000. When he fought Cormier, they made, like, $875,000.
I don't like to disrespect people or my opponents. Anything can happen.
I'm just a small guy.
I do not like getting hit. I can take a hit, but I don't want to damage my brain if I don't have to.
Honestly, just all the love and respect from the fans, that's always the biggest thing that puts a smile on my face.
UFC has failed to market and promote me appropriately.
As a fighter, I pay very close attention to the amount of marketing that goes into and around my fights, and I can tell you that you'd be hard pressed to find much that has been done to promote me outside of 'TUF 24,' which was minimal in comparison to other fights, fighters, and shows.
Look at my track record for showing up to fights. Look at my track record of finishing fights. Look at my track record of getting fight night bonuses. Ask yourself if you think that if the UFC decided to truly put marketing dollars behind me that they couldn't sell me or my fights.
I think the only person who will ever lose in a fight and still end up making a million dollars is Conor McGregor - that's just because of how his contract is structured or whatever.
You're starting to see a lot of fighters, like, 'We want more money so we can be able to retire eventually,' instead of, we get to 30 years old, and we're like, 'Alright, I think Costco has openings.'
Yes, I'm known as the most technical fighter in the world, and I'm going to keep that as my brand.
I'm not going to go out there and have these slugfests, but I'll go out there and dominate my opponent. That's what I do in my fight.
I want the whole world to watch me fight. But you know if people are just tuning in to hear me trash talk are not fight fans.
When I got into this sport, I thought all I had to do was beat people and finish fights, and everything else would take care of itself.
I'm the type of fighter who has never made an excuse. I fought with a broken rib, broken leg.
It's always about bringing in the numbers, the viewership. That's what gets you the money.
That's one of the things I loved about Pride: the first round was ten minutes.
I grew up with a single mom, two brothers, and a sister, and after school, we would play outside then go home for dinner and play videogames together. It's something I enjoy doing, and it's also cheap entertainment compared to a movie or paying for cable. You pay $50 one time for a game, and you can play it as many times as you want.
I always loved playing video games. It was something my mom did, and my sister played as well.
'Super Contra' was the game I fell in love with. I played and beat that game with my mom.
I would have to say fantasy RPG and MMOs are my favorite type of games. I love 'Dark Souls II.' That game is so hard and unforgiving; if you beat that game, you have true skills.
I saw Bobby Green and Lando Vannata, and everybody in the back was like, 'Oh, man, that's a sick fight!' And I'm like, 'Dude, look at his face, that cannot be good for his brain.' I'm just honest.
I'm very well-rounded. It's mixed martial arts.
I come from one of the great coaches - Matt Hume, Brad Kertson - and my skill set is well-rounded.
