You don't appreciate what you have when it all comes to you real quick. I went from nothing to everything all at once.

I never lost sight of my goals. I never stopped thinking I could reach the top.

I worry about myself in the ring; I worry about what I can do and how I can dictate a fight.

Everybody would rather get a quick submission, a quick knockout.

I can see that I can be a role model.

Usually, when I liked athletes growing up, it was because they could hit a ball very far or they can throw a ball very fast. They can shoot a jumper, or they can dunk the ball.

I don't know what the fans expect out of these fighters, but I know what I expect out of myself. And that's go out there, beat people up, and just be me.

I think fans expect fighters to beat each other up, and what I expect out of myself is to stay of trouble.

I don't really dabble into the politics of MMA too much.

When you're coming up, and you have Matt Hughes, Tim Sylvia, Jens Pulver and Pat Miletich, Jeremy Horn to train with and compete with - guys that have fought in Japan, all over the world - and you see these guys every day, you just embrace the grind and get after it: you have no choice but to succeed.