We'll always have respect, but there's no friendship inside the octagon, no smiles or fun games. I'm there to knock you out or submit you. Worst case scenario, I want to dominate the entire fight.Collection: Friendship
Sometimes the opponent is more cool, sometimes he's not, but there's no friendship inside the octagon, only when the fight is over.Collection: Friendship
In the beginning, it was too easy taking guys down, and I got in my comfort zone, and I've got to do more standup. And I missed the timing of takedowns and jiu-jitsu. I realized that's my roots, and I need to come back. And I started competing in jiu-jitsu and training more, and I think that was the key.
There's only one champion. You close out, one man will have his name as champion and one man will be second.
My doctor Rodrigo Mauro told me that I would fight better at 170, but I want to be a lightweight. I want to be the man at 155.
When I ask for a fight I'm not only thinking about me and my career, I also consider if the fight will be interesting for the company and the fans as well.
In the beginning of my career, I've always had plans, dates, the year I wanted to become champion, but things happened different and I got very frustrated.
I stopped l thinking about dates. I knew I would become champion, I knew I would fight for the title, I knew I would headline a card. I knew it would happen one day, but I decided to relax and let things happen.
I consider myself better than Jason Saggo on the ground, but that won't let me be extra confident or relaxed. In fact, that gives me more obligation to train hard and be ready for any situation.
I called out Jim Miller, Joe Lauzon, Will Brooks. They would have been good fights for me and also for the UFC.
Dana White's very emotional, for sure. He wants my fight to be a banger. He wants Conor McGregor's fight to be a banger, and I understand. As a promoter, that's what you have to do. I understand his opinion, but I don't rely on it.
Every time that I go to the sparring session and I need a good look, Kamaru was a good look for me always and I was the same for him. We have a couple wars, all in Florida, Blackzilians, Combat Club, Hard Knocks, Sanford, and he's a very good one. I beat him up a couple times, he beat me up a couple times.
On bottom, on top, on my feet, with my hands, with my knees, with my kicks and even if you've got to go to a decision, we'll go to a decision but every time I step into the octagon, I don't look to a decision. I look for the finish. If I cannot finish, then I look for domination.
Kamaru looks first to domination. He wants to dominate you, put you in a bad spot, make you tired, wear you out and then beat you up.
I will always to everything I can to compete at events like ADCC, Metamoris, Jiu-Jitsu Expo and Copa Podio.
I thought I was unbeatable. I trained with the best and tapped everyone, and I felt confident standing. I really thought I was unbeatable.