I've never considered myself as a legend - just a simple man with heart.
Fedor Emelianenko
A fighter, a real strong fighter, should always look dignified and calm, and I believe that any expression of aggression is an expression of weakness. A strong person will not be nervous and will not express aggression towards his opponent. He will be confident in his abilities and his training; then he will face the fight calm and balanced.
I always like and appreciate the support for the fans; I am very grateful to everyone who supports me.
I've always fought as a heavyweight, and I didn't see any reason to fight at a lighter weight.
I have fought all over the world, and I am excited to be in 'EA Sports MMA' because this game is going to show the global appeal of mixed martial arts.
It's essential for a fighter to go separately and just focus on training away from everybody else.
You know when a person goes into the ring to win, or at least not to lose. I mean, when a fighter is ready and goes to fight, than it can be seen by his look. Regardless of whether he gets hit or not, he goes forward, and regardless of whether he wins or loses, he wants to go forward, and it is clear from his burning eyes.
I try to perform honestly during the fight, and I always remember that I'm a representative of Russia. I try not to bring any aggression. Just honesty.
For every athlete, it is very important to be able to engage in their favorite thing, give all the best in training, performing in competitions, defending the honor of the motherland.
No one expected me to become a champion.
I gain strength out of familiar surroundings.
While I'm an athlete and while I'm fighting actively, I don't intend to pursue a career in politics. What happens after that, we'll see. But I don't have an intention to do both at the same time.
I am the face and ambassador of sambo. The organization I'm working is trying really hard to make sambo a sport on the Olympian level.
A true athlete is someone who doesn't just stop training when they stop competing. It's a way of life, and they keep in shape just to keep up that standard.
I'm very grateful to God for what he gives me. Victories, remarkable victories, but you have to go through the defeats. That is why I praise God for everything.
The UFC didn't want me to fight there so what could I do? We were unable to make a deal. They offered unacceptable conditions.
Cain Velasquez, he has some technical difficulties, but he has ambition, and he's fearless. He wants to win so badly, and he's in great condition. He's a thinking fighter.
UFC is a moneymaking machine. The most important thing for this organization is a brand and its marketing. They have a couple of good fighters, and there are also some very good champions, but they are trying to keep everyone at the same level. The most important thing for them is the promotion, not the fighters.
I don't know how much the other fighters make. But I need to tell you that, for myself, money is not the first consideration.
I have no special strategy. I can just wait to see what my opponent offers.
One needs to live every day according to God's commandments. And then any kind of difficulty or unpleasantness will be manageable.
If Dana White can offer a contract that's not one-sided, and it's not cumbersome to the point where we look at it and realize that we can't fight for him, then we'll fight in the UFC.
I would like to have a rematch against Fabricio Werdum.
People are making judgements about Russian people based on me. This is why I never allow myself any aggression towards my opponent.
I don't think about fights that didn't happen.
Actually, when I fought in PRIDE, we had the best fighters in the world. Back then, the UFC had a very serious and big crisis; they were going through some tough times trying to get top fighters. All the best fighters were in PRIDE.
Most importantly, you have to stay true to yourself as well as those fans who made you who you are as an athlete.
Dan Henderson has been a fighter for a long time, and he's been a champion in many different organizations.
I train and prepare for every contest the same so I can compete to the best of my abilities.
Training for a fight is never easy, regardless of the opponent.
I always remember that I am a representative of my country, and I always think about the culture I'm bringing to people.
In my opinion, faith helps in many contexts.
I've already fought my share. God gave me a rich, eventful career, and I thank God for everything, but I'm done fighting.
As human beings, our lives should be in retrospect with God.
I try and make it possible for beginners to start training MMA and not be scared of it as a sport. I try to actually give them the skill set that is necessary - to feel comfortable, maybe not on a big level. And not just Russia, but worldwide.
When I was competing, I would run daily 20 kilometers, and in addition to that, I'd put in many hours of fighting and sparring. That's why I was always able to keep the speed in the ring. I would train so hard that sometimes it was not only hard to stand up, but it would also be hard to lay down.
It is God who gives us the opportunity to win and to get victories.
With my victory, I must always remember that I glorify God.
I never believed I was the best fighter in the world.
If people think they've found my biggest weakness, let them try to take advantage of it.
As far as the UFC, if they offer us a fair deal, then we would be open to fighting in the UFC.
In terms of Rogers, I can't comment on how other fighters in the UFC would fare with Brett Rogers because that's just speculation.
The first thing I saw was that Brett Rogers had his way very quickly - in 20 seconds - with a UFC champion, Andrei Arlovski.
