Separating your profession from friendship is very difficult.
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.
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.
My dad taught me; Mr. Steven Seagal taught me, also.
I can't say 'OK, let's begin to exchange and see where it goes.' We want to give a fight and give people a good show, but you have to play on a safety zone.
Whether you're winning or losing, you've constantly got to be changing.
Even if you win, or you lose, you have to respect your opponent.
When I signed with Bellator, I knew this would be a new positive chapter in my career.
The way I stand and my posture really complicates my opponents; they don't understand it and don't know what to do about. The way I stand there in front of them really throws them off.
I focus on my opponents the same way whether they are a champion or not.
I don't want to be in this sport just to participate. I want to be in this to win, and that's what motivates me every day to break down barriers and to get better every time and to exceed my limits and to win fights.
I'm a real martial artist, my father always taught me that some way I have to train every day, no matter what happens your life.
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.
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.
I think we both matured together in this sport, so I think fight between Michael Bisping and myself would mean a lot.
If I have a chance, I'd like to fight at 185 pounds.
I live my life - I walk the right path - but I can't be like, 'Oh, I'm scared of this or that.'
My father is a Japanese Shotokan karate master, so I have been training karate with my family since I was three years old. I got my black belt in karate at 13 and got introduced to judo and sumo shortly after.
We teach the karate methodology, bringing back the history of the martial art, the attacks that stopped being used when the martial art became a sport and that my brother and I use in the cage.
If I had a choice, I'd rather not fight someone from Brazil, but as a professional, I couldn't say no.
