Fighting is not what I do - it's who I am. It's what I was meant to do, what I was meant to be. I knew that right after my first MMA practice.
— Jon Jones
I'll see trash talk and people telling me why they're favorite fighter is going to beat me. It motivates me for sure.
Glover Teixeira is a phenomenal opponent.
To see my little brother Chandler outdoing me, it's great; I want to be able to cross-market and feed off his star power.
The moment I let fear slip in is the moment that the fights are gonna start getting closer and closer.
I notice that I'm full of myself, and I am arrogant to some degree, but it's honestly only when it comes to talking about MMA.
Muhammad Ali was such an original - his antics, his character, his charisma, his strength, his individuality.
When it comes to fighting and other fighters, I try to be respectful.
Fitness really changed my life.
I just keep my eyes open and focus on the things I'm not good at and what makes other people better than me - technique and things outside the Octagon.
My parents always kept us in the house. We weren't allowed to spend the night at other people's houses. We were sheltered kids.
I believe I have the attitude of a champion and a winner, and I'm not apologetic for it.
Fighting was something inside of me that I didn't realize was there.
I love Twitter in particular because it allows me to grow and see how people feel about the decisions I make. My followers, they're always pretty honest with me. I love the honesty I get. I also find motivation in it.
I wouldn't argue that Anderson Silva is the best pound-for-pound fighter in MMA.
I just would hate to have to fight my own teammate. I would never want to.
I'm not saying Gustafsson isn't a champion. He's not the champion that I am. He's not a champion at all. I've won the belt seven times. He got tapped out by Phil Davis and lost to me fair and square. This guy gets so much praise. Having a close fight with me was the greatest thing he's ever done.
I'll fight anywhere, man.
I grew up originally in Rochester. It was where I was born and a very tough neighbourhood with a lot of violence. I consider myself lucky. When I was aged 11, in 1998, Dad moved us to a suburban area from what was a ghetto area. It gave me a chance of survival.
I absolutely hate when people mention Rashad Evans.
We're all going to make mistakes; they're inevitable. It's what you do after these mistakes that matters.
I just need to be myself and allow things to happen. If it's God's will, good things will happen.
I think once you start to think that you're the man, and you know it all, and your style is unbeatable and stuff like that, that's when you get caught and clipped and get humbled really fast.
I'm extremely confident. I do believe my own hype. And I'm working towards making it true.
My wrestling dream was to become a Division I national champion. That was my No. 1 dream - not Olympics, not money. Just winning that tournament.
The biggest challenge is learning how to psych yourself up into believing in yourself as you walk into the Octagon.
For a long time, I consciously tried to be a good person for others. Not anymore. Caring about other people keeps me in line, but I've decided to just be myself.
I feel as if I'm God's champion, and I have a lot of pride in that.
When it comes to MMA, there is a big chip on my shoulder. There is a way that I look at myself. I think it's really, really important, and it's something I'm not really apologetic for it. As I get older, and I win more, I start to embrace it even more.
My friends and family all know me, and that's the important thing.
I don't really deal in trash talk too much. But I show my confidence.
One day when I was bored, I just went down to a powerlifting gym, Via Strength Systems in Albuquerque. I knew I needed to expend my energy somehow. I started working out with them four days a week. I became obsessed with lifting and being fit.
If you do something bad, it doesn't mean you're a bad person. It means you had bad judgment.
Having that Christian base keeps me focused on what I have to do. It keeps me out of the clubs and in the gym.
It's a cold world out there, and this world will pass you by if you give another man anything over yourself.
