One of my proudest moments is definitely UFC 105 in Manchester when I stopped Denis Kang in the second round.
Patrick Cote, that would be one way traffic. I'd destroy the guy.
As the UFC was getting bigger and bigger, I realized it was a potential career there, and that's what I did.
You can push my buttons all you want and say whatever you want about me, and that's fine... fighters do that.
If you want to boo, that's your right. Boo. Go ahead. Boo me all day long.
I went to college and did advanced electronical engineering, not really knowing what I wanted to do. It bored me to death, so I dropped out.
Financially, I've done very well doing what I do. I've got plenty of money in the bank. I've got gigs with FOX doing analyst work, media work. The UFC has been very kind to me. Ultimately, however, I want to be world champion. I have to achieve that to validate my entire career.
I don't need their love. If they want to boo, let them boo.
People give me advice all the time, and I don't take a blind bit of notice.
Fighting at home does bring pressure - of course it does. But I've always thrived on that.
I've had ups and downs in my career, and if you look at it as a bookmaker, the odds of me becoming a world champion were never in my favour, but I never stopped believing in myself and never stopped trying.
Fighting in England, for me, is the height of my career. It really is.
I love the way of life out in California, and I've made a lot of friends out there. The food is amazing.
I've already been KO'd, embarrassed. Nothing is going to be worse than that, so what's to be scared of?
I'm generally an optimist, but of course, when you've been with the UFC for a decade and still not had a title shot, there is a little part of you that wonders if it will ever happen.
The more in shape you are, the harder you can push yourself.
All I do is fight, consistently, the best guys in the world, and sure, I've lost a couple here and there, but I've certainly won the majority of my fights. There are those who pick and choose opponents and try to pad their record along the way, but I've never done that.
I am proud to be the first British champion, and headlining MSG is a testament to all the hard work.
I was a big fan of martial arts movies - Bruce Lee in particular, as cringeworthy as it is. Jean-Claude van Damme was a big inspiration as well - it's a little embarrassing.
Let's be honest: I don't want to walk out to boos. I always want to be cheered, like anyone, and I've been very lucky over the years to have a lot of support. Coming to America, I'm always the away guy, and so people thought their guy had to take me out, and they boo.
Once I started fighting in UFC, things took a big U-turn. After my second fight, I came home and paid my mortgage off.
I'm terrified of having to go back to a day job. And that's why I'm training like a man possessed. Because I want to keep winning.
Stefan Struve's an amazing talent.
Due to the UFC educating people on MMA as a sport, people give us the respect as athletes, opening doors to opportunities which wasn't available in the past. It has been amazing to be part of the UFC journey.
I worked in factories, slaughterhouses, as an upholsterer. I did demolition work, was a postman, was a tiler, a plasterer. I even sold double-glazing door-to-door. But I always dreamed of being a world champion, first of all as a boxer.
Big respect to Dan Henderson.
I want to be world champion, and that's why I've worked for an entire lifetime to get here.
I hate the expression, 'I'm not fake.'
I'm very happy with my wrestling.
What matters - the only thing that matters - is winning. It's nice to entertain the fans and to gain new ones, especially from the States, but on the night... that's all that matters.
I want to be the first British person to lift a UFC World Title.
I just like doing normal things, going to the shops in Manchester, getting a meal with my girlfriend and kids, going to the cinema. I love Las Vegas and there places, but I couldn't live there.
I'm an emotional fighter; that's no secret. But it can be detrimental.
Some people are born for a certain thing. And for me, unfortunately, I wish it was something a bit more artistic or whatever, but I was a born fighter. That's what kept me coming back. It makes me feel alive. And, I just know, there is nothing I do better in this world than fight.
People say sometimes that I'm distracted. I'm not distracted. I'm being smart. I'm capitalizing while the iron is hot. That's why I'm trying to do movies. I do the podcast. I do a radio show. I work on FOX. I have a gym; I have a lot of things going on. That's because when I'm done, I want to be set up.
I started learning jiujitsu when I was eight years old. I had a lot of success and won ever competition I even entered.
I'm in a sport where, on their day, anyone can beat anyone else if they are at the top of their own game.
In MMA, I found my calling.
Best move is probably the flying knee I used in the Ultimate Fighter semi-final v Ross Pointon in 2006.
It seems like every problem you can have with an eye, I had.
People write me off, and yet then, when I fight people, my opponents have a completely different opinion of me afterwards.
It's going to take more than one loss for me to hang up my gloves; that's for sure.
A lot of Americans say the food in England sucks. I don't think the food in England sucks - the food is great - but I've got to say, the Americans have got the dining out experience nailed down.
In my teenage years, I started kickboxing, then did a little boxing. When the UFC and MMA exploded in the early 2000s in the U.S.A. and Japan, I saw a way to make money and a career.
I've beaten a lot of great fighters, but people say the big ones, I've lost them all. I don't want to go down as a guy who loses his big fights.
I used to do traditional weapons training, and I wasn't bad with a sword.
I swear to God, I don't even know who Demi Lovato is. My son has a crush on her. Apparently, he was sat next to her when I knocked Luke Rockhold out, so Demi Lovato knows who I am, that's for sure.
Maybe when I'm done fighting, I'll open a gym and manage fighters and train fighters.
For me, 'The Ultimate Fighter' has been massive. I think it is a fantastic vehicle to find the new talent of tomorrow.
