Ribs are a real tricky thing: you don't really know when they're going to heal, especially when mine weren't broken. I don't know what it was, exactly - either a deep bruise or cartilage.
The rankings - they don't mean crap, to be honest.
It's kind of a weird thing when you've been at the top of a division you've been in your entire career to kind of take a backseat because of friendship.
I have to have an attitude of gratitude and not miss opportunities.
I've held the title for years and years.
I've never been knocked unconscious in my entire career.
I'm going to stay training every day. I'm going to stay sharp, because that's what I love to do.
Jens Pulver was a former UFC champion. He's a guy who I followed and looked up to. It was my first big fight in the Sacramento arena.
For me, Sakuraba was my favorite fighter when I first got into the sport.
I had a two-hour VHS tape of Sakuraba and all his crazy stuff. He was doing crazy double flying chops with both hands and undressing the Gracie family one shoulder at a time, and probably my favorite fight of all time was when he fought in Heroes and was rocked and kind of out of it, and they stopped him and kind of shook him in bounds.
When I was 23 years old, I had just finished my wrestling career. I was top 12 in the nation in the NCAA. And I was top 12 in the state in California.
The world is not equal, unfortunately.
If you want something, you gotta fight for it.
I'm a guy who has put my heart and my soul into something, into everything that I do.
I'm a very lucky guy.
I'm a passionate guy.
I'm a very hard working guy.
For me, I treat everyone like an equal.
I fight guys that no one has ever heard of; I fought guys who are legends, like Frankie Edgar.
I love this fight game. I'm passionate about it. I feel great about it.
