Even if you win, or you lose, you have to respect your opponent.
— Lyoto Machida
Everything Mousasi says only motivates me. I have a win over him, and I think he's a little bothered by it.
As a professional, I get in a dilemma between sport and entertainment. There's these two sides.
I don't fight without being prepared, even when I lose.
I'm a fan of Fedor, have been a fan since he was in PRIDE, a great champion, and since I like to challenge myself, new challenges, that was one of the offers that came with my move to Bellator. Of course fighting Fedor would be an honor, a dream.
At middleweight, I started to find an ideal weight for me. I face guys my size, my height, and with my physique.
I try to learn from my losses, see how they can help me in the future.
If you want something, you can get it.
Your technique, your drive - that's what you should carry with you.
I never underestimate anybody.
It's not my style to talk trash to my opponents.
I loss that fight to Phil Davis, but I'm not convinced on that fight. Because it wasn't fair for me. I'd like to do another fight.
If you want to get to the top, you can't say you won't fight this one or that one. You have to be open to fight the best.
I tried all my life to be a champion.
I feel like Randy Couture has helped build the history in this sport.
Every fight is a little bit different.
My main objective is always the belt.
I'm a professional, and I focus on one fight at a time.
I'm not gonna change my principles. I'm not gonna change anything just to make money.
My way of thinking is like that: always positive.
Every time you step into a different cage, you can feel the difference.
Fighting in Bellator is a dream come true for me.
Every fight has taught me something.
I won't cling to the past.
If you lose three or four in a row, people start talking about retirement. They are not used to this sport like they are used to tennis. If you take a look at how many times Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer lost, it's all part of the game. Soccer is no different: teams go through bad times and then rise again.
For sure, Jacare would be a great opponent. I have all the respect for him, but I would like a lot to have the opportunity of facing him someday.
A fight is a fight, and you never know what is going to happen until you start fighting.
I believe in me.
Having your father to help you to get back up is good, but you need to get up by yourself and walk alone. Life goes on.
We always want the knockout or the submission.
It's an honor to fight someone like Randy Couture.
As you go in there, you keep winning; after you've had a loss or two, people start to humanize you.
Chris Weidman is a tough guy; he's well rounded. He's known for being a wrestler. He's very good on the ground. He can knock people out standing up.
Right after my fight against Luke Rockhold, I had surgery on my left hand. I just took out some fragments from back then. Too many training, and I had some fragments in my hand.
When I signed with Bellator, I knew this would be a new positive chapter in my career.
It's very hard because the sport evolves so fast, changes so fast. So, you have to be there to see the changes that are happening in the moment. That's why I keep training every day. I try to mix myself in all of the academies.
Mousasi is a very tough fighter.
I have fought my brother some times before. We got hurt sometimes, needed stitches, but it was normal after the fights. We always had a positive rivalry that pushed both of us to our best.
Separating your profession from friendship is very difficult.
Learning is constant. I learn something new every day.
Rafael Carvalho deserves a lot of respect and seriousness in my camp.
In karate, there's a lot of respect. In fact, when an opponent accepts to fight me, he's giving me a chance to show my work, so I can't diminish him at all.
Every fight is a new story, a new training camp.
I want to be the middleweight champion.
The future belongs to God.
It's important to have the support of your family, but when is time to move away? You have to walk with your own legs one day.
If you have a dream in your life, go hard. It's possible.
Whether you're winning or losing, you've constantly got to be changing.
My dad taught me; Mr. Steven Seagal taught me, also.
I've always worked hard and stayed focused.
