Just staying healthy, that is true wealth and true happiness.
There's never been a southpaw fighter to make it five rounds with me. These are championship fights, and most of them can't even make it out of the normal rounds. Fought Chael Sonnen, TKOed him in round one. Fought Vitor Belfort. He made it to round four when I ended up submitting him.
You have to turn the lemons life gives you into lemonade, and you have to take time to sit back and enjoy it.
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.
I feel as if I'm God's champion, and I have a lot of pride in that.
Muhammad Ali was hated, and then he was loved at the very end. Floyd Mayweather was hated, and a lot of people are really coming around on him. So, I'm just trying to stay positive and try not to offend too many people along the way and hope for the best end result.
The higher the risk, the higher the reward.
I would study the best, the most flashy, the guys that had that flair, the guys that had that wow. I'd study those fighters, and I made up my mind that I'd be all of those at once.
Whenever I talk about Christ out loud, or I tweet a verse or say something in reference about Christ, a lot of people lash out and aren't very excited to hear about my love for Christ.
I've convinced myself I'm something special. When you do that, man, you're dangerous, especially when you have the athleticism and work ethic to back it up.
The struggles don't define you. It's how you handle them that determines who you are.
It's a cold world out there, and this world will pass you by if you give another man anything over yourself.
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've really tried everything in my power to get my life together.
The first time I crawled into the octagon, I just felt like an animal, you know? Like a creature, like I wasn't quite human.
I believe I have the attitude of a champion and a winner, and I'm not apologetic for it.
I just need to be myself and allow things to happen. If it's God's will, good things will happen.
I don't believe a champion is the biggest, baddest, meanest dude in the world. I think the champion is like a warrior; it's like the head knight or lead samurai: humble men of integrity, respect, and honor that treat people kindly.
If you do something bad, it doesn't mean you're a bad person. It means you had bad judgment.
I often get people that come up to me with the UFC 151 poster with me and Dan on it and ask me to sign it.
