I believe in working harder and putting in the time - being completely obsessed. And, yeah, I think that's life.

I feel it when I need to train and I do what I feel like I need to do. I don't get obsessed with one style or one skill.

I don't care about anything I don't need to care about.

It's important to stay hydrated - first thing I do in the morning is stretch and drink water.

Fourteen weeks before the Mendes fight I tore 80 per cent of my ACL [anterior cruciate ligament]. That is the main ligament for stability. Every day in that training camp when I was working my way back, I was saying "real champions fight through any adversity". That is why I am a real champion and he is not. Look at my eye [he had seven stitches put in an old wound after an injury in training the night before we met]. Fighters fight on. Aldo got scared, he went running and I worry he will run again.

I believe in believing. My coach John Kavanagh is a big atheist and he is always trying to persuade people to his way of thinking, and I think what a waste of energy. If people want to believe in this god, or that god, that's fine by me, believe away. But I think we can be our own gods. I believe in myself.

Training to me isn't about a set time at the gym - I move at all times of the day and night.