Strikeforce let me take a fight on short notice outside the promotion and I got robbed on a split decision against Kendall Grove. I easily won that fight. So, I went from 9-0 to getting robbed and suffering my first loss.
I haven't been given a lot of respect in the division. But you know what? I'm OK with earning it.
If you look at my career, it's been nothing but consistency.
Sports are sometimes unforgiving, and it is what it is. Take my fight with Jacare. I had the flu and I went to the doctor and I had to get nursed back. I didn't train for like 10 days and I fought four or five days later.
Anderson knees people in the face from the clinch. That guy is a world class Muay Thai fighter.
In MMA, you can literally cheat over and over again, and it's OK. The media will back you.
I'm a dangerous guy.
It's not an excuse, but I'd say I didn't perform well in the big fights because I wasn't prepared properly.
I miss my family so much, my kids are everything to me.
I don't think Anderson Silva is less of a fighter.
When you're talking mixed martial arts, to have a win over a guy who is by many considered the greatest of all time, is definitely going to take your career to the next level.
My striking is on a different level.
Jacare, he has power. We're two strong guys. He relies on being aggressive and coming forward. He looks to get the takedown. He's punching and he's shooting. I've never been taken down in a fight. Now, I'm not disregarding that I could be taken down, but I just know that I have a little bit more when it comes to giving up takedowns.
Lyoto is never going to lose his skills. He might lose his timing, speed, cardio, but he'll never lose his skills.
Everybody at middleweight has been working hard to be a champion.
I don't think too many guys are raising their hands trying to fight me.
Obviously, you've got to go out there and focus on each fight before moving onto the next one.
Pass-rushers with boxing or kickboxing go hand-in-hand. You've got to have fast, sharp hands and be straight down the middle, because linemen are coming off and you have to be able to pop their hands down.
I'm a wrestler, a very polished wrestler and some of my best attributes in wrestling are my scrambling ability and my clinch.
I'm going out there as I do in every fight to put guys away but I'm going to do it in a smart fashion.
