You go after your dreams no matter how many obstacles. You want to go forward. That's what I did.Collection: Dreams
I just keep getting better and keep learning. Keep an open mind, and live in the moment, and love what I do. Discipline myself, and hard work.Collection: Learning
A true champion is a true champion. They go fight and win or lose, give it their all.
I grew up watching 'Vale Tudo' and Marco Ruas. I fight imagining the bouts from a past generation, when everything was legal.
To err is human, but to persist in the mistake is ugly.
It's so great to fight in the UFC because the whole staff, they treat you so well. The people are happy to work there.
You look at the staff, the whole staff, from the security to the nutritionists, everybody. Everybody's happy. They want to be there. They look like they want to be in the UFC.
I see some people complain about Dana; I've got no complaints about Dana.
To be honest, I'm not the kind of guy to think about the future in the long term.
I'm just living life, but I'm happy to still be fighting at 41. It's something I like to do, so the more I can do this, the better.
The secret is to listen, open your mind, listen to the pros. With the help of the UFC's Performance Institute, too. Listening to my coaches and listening to my body, too. Having discipline. It's not just listening, too, because sometimes people have the knowledge but don't know how to use it. You need to be able to put that to practice.
It's a dream of mine to win the division's belt.
I really love fighting.
I tell people for a long time, there are always other options in life. We have to do what we want.
Who doesn't wanna be called champion and hang that belt on the wall, right?
We have to deal with small injuries that get worse as time goes by.
It's important to have the right strategy. I can't commit to things or fight like I used to. I can't just bang it out. I have to be more intelligent in training and in fighting.
I always go forward and try for the knockout or submission. I'm going to finish my opponent. I'm not going to try to win by decision.
I'm not greedy - I have a pretty good life. I don't have an expensive lifestyle, so I can make my living teaching classes at my gym.
I'm not fighting for the money. Of course, money is good, but if I don't feel like going to the gym anymore, I can stop fighting and do something else.
I want to be remembered as a fighter who gives it his all.
I love the USADA.
I don't like to leave anything in the hands of the judges.
I grew up in a very small town, on a farm. There was not even a TV in my house at that time. I didn't have much connection with the outside world and couldn't see martial arts. When I was 10 or 12, that's when we got our first TV. We only had maybe two channels. At 16 years old, I remember watching Marco Ruas on TV.
I used to love martial arts movies starring Bruce Lee and Jean Claude Van Damme. In one of Van Damme's movies, he would break a pine tree. I would kick banana trees because I used to live on a farm. My father would get mad at me because I would break all of the banana trees around.
My favorite fight was when I fought Rampage. I always wanted to fight Rampage because of the way he fights. It's about pride. The way he comes forward. My friends in Brazil would always tell me they wanted me to fight Rampage. When I fought him, it was a big deal for me. It was the first big fight I was in. It was a great fight.
When I came to the United States, I saw a lot of Mike Tyson. I would stay up and watch all of the Mike Tyson fights. A friend here said, 'You got to do Jiu-Jitsu. That's the thing.' I said, 'C'mon, Jiu-Jitsu would never beat Mike Tyson.' So, he showed me the Royce Gracie tape. I was so impressed with the thing.
I want to fight for the title. I want to get the title. That's my dream.
Seven years I worked in landscaping. It was a good job, I don't complain. I liked going out to different houses every day, traveling.
I'm a farm guy, so I like to work outside, dealing with the trees and that kind of stuff.
I was always a hard worker, and that's why I got invited to come to America. My uncle actually said, 'You've to go to America. You work like this in America, you're gonna make a lot more money.'
When I come to the United States, I came here illegally. I didn't know I was going to be a fighter. I just thought I was going to work landscaping for, I don't know, three, four years, then go back to Brazil and live my life.
I'm a fighter. I'm a worker.
I don't care who, I don't care where. I just want to fight.
The way people train is the most dangerous thing because we train, like, everyday.
Some people spar five days a week.
Jose Aldo became champion when he was 22. I didn't get into the gym for the first time until I was 22.
I take care of business.
My way to fight is finish.
Every fight has its rough spots, and I'm always looking for improve every facet.
I'll never give myself an A since I ask a lot from myself.
Without a doubt Jon Jones is one of the greatest fighters in history, and, of course, we do see errors that we'll try to exploit.
There are always holes in anyone's game.
Jon Jones is the best fighter in history.
We never want anything bad to happen, especially to an athlete like Jon Jones.
I'm an old school guy.
Nobody trains 'eye poke defense.'
My jiu-jitsu style is definitely not the most entertaining one, so I'd rather do boxing and entertain the fans a little more.
My jiu-jitsu style is not a beautiful style. I have very simple submissions. It works, but it's not like Demian Maia or Nick Diaz's very exciting style.
I'm an aggressive fighter. I put on a show for the fans every time.