As far as managing, I've been managing myself from the beginning, so if I don't start speaking up for myself, nobody will.
Raphael Assuncao
I'm ready to be the underdog and challenge the champion. I'm ready to go out there and prove people wrong.
It doesn't matter who I'm fighting or where it's at... I take every fight very seriously.
If I'm not a good talker, so be it, but my record will speak for itself.
I'm proud of what I've done. I look at it and I try to stay humble and do what I've got to do, but I think people forget, I'm the first guy to beat the win streak at Nova Uniao with Johnny Eduardo. He had an 11-fight win streak and I beat him, and people say, 'That's nothing.'
I'm kind of quiet.
I'm 34 years old, but I still feel like I'm progressing as an athlete.
If a person, an athlete is not versed in something, their first reaction when there is a bad situation is not a good feeling. It's panic.
When it is all said and done, everything is different once you get up into the cage.
I like to say jiu-jitsu is like mathematics. It has to be exact otherwise you don't have it.
For me, being upset is different than being frustrated. Frustration, it's a little more deep inside. Being upset, you can get over it the next day.
My only loss at bantamweight is to TJ Dillashaw and I also have a win over him.
2009 is going to be a year that everything is going to fall in place for me.
I'm one of the most consistent guys in the world, in the UFC.
What else do I have to do for a my title chance. I don't know what to do. What else do I have to do? I've fought everybody.
I've had guys on top of me, trying to beat me up.
All of these fights I've won, the pressure has been on me to go out there and get the win. I have to beat this guy and that guy, or I'm fighting in Brazil.
I'm not going to take up an acting class in order to get a fight. That is not what I've worked my entire life to do. It's not what I've been living for.
I'm always critical of myself, but I know where I stand as well.
For my size and frame, 135 pounds fits me better, and a I feel really good here. I've actually gotten stronger because I've done a lot of strength and conditioning to actually lose the weight. It made me better.
As a featherweight I was walking around at 155 pounds and would just have to cut those 10 extra pounds. I wasn't being very professional.
Competing at bantamweight has only made me that much more professional.
Everyone knows that every fight is different and there are different challenges every time you step out there.
I live in the United States for years. No one has to translate anything for me.
Dominick Cruz is my friend, we had a few beers together in the past, but you can't deny what I have done in the UFC.
If I keep doing what I've been doing and keep doing my job, the title shot is going to come. That's why I take every fight very seriously.
When the opportunity for a title shot presents itself, I'm going to be there. I'm going secure that spot and try to win the belt.
Honestly, I know rematches are always nice, but me beating the champion of my weight class in a competitive fight is nice, too.
Every guy I've beat has been trying to take my head off.
I would be lying I didn't mention I saw Dominick Cruz's performance at UFC 178 and was impressed by his dominating performance.
I'm not going to change who I am or the way I promote fights just to get a title shot, but I think I've done plenty to earn that shot.
I think it's good to have a chip on your shoulder because it's motivating.
Every guy I've beaten has been on a winning streak. Every guy was coming off damn good wins when I beat them.
There are so many things that make the moment for a submission. There is timing, muscle memory, a lot of times power. When you commit, you have to have power and technique. It has to be sharp.
