The thing that gets me up in the morning is that I’m really not ready to see someone that I know I can beat holding my belt.

I'm living such a lucky and blessed life and I'm trying my best to deserve it.

I get asked that a lot and I always go back to my mom's, 'No one has the right to beat you.' I take that to every venue that I'm in. She would say, 'Someone has to be the best in the world, why not you?' I always try to keep that in mind.

You have to fight because you can't count on anyone else fighting for you. And you have to fight for people who can't fight for themselves. To get anything of real value, you have to fight for it.

As an athlete you're taught to be selfish. When I'm training, it's usually all about me.

If you're unwilling to leave someplace you've outgrown, you will never reach your full potential. To be the best, you have to constantly be challenging yourself, raising the bar, pushing the limits of what you can do. Don't stand still, leap forward.

The confusing thing is we now live in a society where it's not illegal to be an asshole, but it's illegal to slap one.