I just started training with the best fighters in the world trying to get better. I was a pretty good athlete so I did pretty well with the team and that gave me confidence that I would be able to compete with people.

I had never thought about being a professional fighter but meeting Pat [ Militich ] and the guys just pushed me in that direction.

My parents were divorced and my dad was in the Marines. I lived in California until I was 10 then we moved to Bettendorf, Iowa when I was in the fourth grade. I had an older brother so it made it a little easier to adjust to things.

You don't really realize the effect those things have on you when you're growing up but then when you look back you can see how they molded you.

I'd always done martial arts I was always interested in fighting.

A lot of military kids make a lot of moves but I only made the one, so it wasn't really an issue for me.

I got a little bit of the Marine mentality from my dad, I guess. You can't but help absorb the culture you're around.