Keith Kizer doesn't want to look anyone in the eye.

I think I should stay retired.

Fighting, to me, has always been something different than what everybody's else opinion is. I've never believed what everybody else has.

There's just something about BJ Penn that gets people amped up. You don't know what's going to happen but something is going to happen. He might disappoint you, make you happy, make you cry or make you jump out of your chair, but he'll do something to you.

Of course I can't retire on a win - but then, I can't retire on a loss either.

When the whole fighting thing started, I never knew at the end it was going to be all about your record. I never had that mentality. I wanted to fight everybody.

When I first started fighting, I thought I was God's gift to fighting.

I thought I would go win 100 in a row with 100 knockouts.

You just go out there, you've got to keep training, keeping training as hard as you can and keep winning fights. The only thing that's real is the fight. Everything else is fake.

Being the champ is fake, all of that is all fake.

Martial arts was founded on the spirit that it's not only a sport, but a way of life.

I know there are a lot of others who are willing to take shortcuts for the sake of money, but when I see that... I get real irritated. I hate it.

I just love the fighting.

It isn't always the funnest feeling, sparring three days a week, getting punched in the face at 38 years old, it might not always be the funnest feeling but it's better than a lot of other things. I love it.

Back when we won the 170-pound title, I knew we were going to go back and get the 155-pound title but the 145-pound title wasn't even a thought in the mind. We would have had that title already if it was around.

2017 is going to be the biggest year for martial arts in the history of the Earth.

I don't want to just be, 'Oh, he was good back in the day.' I want to be known as one of the best.

I'm not a great athlete that can play any sport. But one thing I could always do is... fight back.

Fighting is still a fight for me. It always has been.

This is a fight. This isn't putting a ball in a hole. This has always been a fight for me, and I just love it when it's that way.

Fighting is still not a sport for me.

Some days you think nothing surprises you anymore and other times I'm thinking I can't believe this journey and how it went down.

I want to get one more world title. Three titles at three weight classes, and without a doubt 145 is my best option.

There's more opportunity for me to get three UFC belts at 145 than going to 185.

I have a good team around me and I don't feel anything is anywhere near out of my league.

Training in Brazil at Nova Uniao was nothing short of amazing. I can't thank Leo Santos and coach Andre Pederneiras enough for their efforts.

The second Hughes fight was a huge reality check. But it didn't hit me right away.

I don't miss a three-month training camp. I don't miss fight week. But I do miss being the baddest man on the planet.

It does blow me away, though, when I see Werdum just got the belt at 37 and then you see Mark Hunt still fighting at 40. All these different things. It is amazing. I don't know. They're out there, they're doing it.

It ain't the technique, it ain't the speed, it ain't the power. It's who wants it the most.

It doesn't do me any good to train for three months, and I don't get to fight.

Back then, 22, I just loved the sport so much. It was such an exciting time, it was fun. It was an amazing ride.

I guess looking back you're only as good as you think you are. You can lie to yourself and that's what you have to do.

I don't know where that thought came from and I don't know why I had that thought, but I thought I was the best fighter on the whole planet.

I'm sure there are people in all sports that bend the rules but I'm not going to sit here and point the finger.

Dennis Siver, he's a tough guy.

I'm definitely excited to be a part of the UFC spreading out globally around the world.

It is not constantly in my head that I am a champion or a UFC fighter. I forget about that. It is very important to other people, and I am glad to have the support, but fighting is my passion. It is what I like to do.

I always have fighting inside my head and heart.

I guess growing up, it was pretty much a normal life, as I got older I used to get into some fights but nothing unusual.

My dad took us to a couple of karate classes when we were young but we didn't really get into it.

That's the mark of a man, just keeping your head up, right? Not taking the easy way out.

Jiu jitsu is a great art for self-defense. But jiu jitsu alone won't get you to a world championship in the UFC or even a winning record sometimes.

I've always thought that being in the UFC is what the name suggests: Ultimate Fighting Championship. As time went on, people started learning to use the rules that suit them.

Some guys are athletes and some guys are fighters. But, whether I look down on that or not, they're just out there trying to do the best job they can to put food on the table, so I can't be too hard on them.

Jiu-jitsu is created where the small man can beat the big man.

I don't want to be the guy who said 'I could have did this, and I could have did that.' I want to be the guy to know if I could have or I couldn't do it.

I never even thought I would be in the UFC.

I'm a purist, and I'm more a fighter than an athlete.

I want to go get that 145-pound belt. That's definitely a huge motivation for me. I believe with Greg Jackson's help, I can get that done.