I was really close to my father since I was young. He always told me that I had to work in order to become a man, so I had to stay with him when my mother left. He always took me to work to help him as a bricklayer. I was just a kid, so I did what I could do to help him.

If a fighter thinks he knows everything and stops trying to evolve, he's lost.

If you lose, no one will remember you, but if you're the champion, they will always remember you.

I've considered going to lightweight. As soon as my trainer decides that I can go up, then I will.

Talking makes the fight bigger... When the fight is over, everyone goes in opposite sides with money in the pocket. You have to talk trash because that brings money.

My next fight is always the most important fight, so regardless if I'm fighting for the title or not, I always have to go in there and give everything that I've got.

I'm not scared of anyone. They have two arms and two legs, and I will do my best and win.

Something I always liked to train is kickboxing.

I train every day to destroy whoever they put in front of me.

The training is intense here at Nova Uniao.

Thank God the UFC and MMA gave me a lot of stuff.

Not just me but everybody in the WEC was dreaming of fighting in the UFC and become a champ. Thank God I went there and became a champion. I root for the WEC guys. I do.

I like to watch women's MMA more than men fighting because they always do their best and fight hard.

Yes, I think about having a career in boxing, but I want to start from the bottom, start from zero. I want to get ranked and one day fight for a belt. I don't want to fight just to fight, for money, to go after big fights and challenge a great champion.

Each person has a way to promote their fight. Each person has a way to try to create opportunity in their career.

Everybody knows if you have the rules, you need to follow the rules and do exactly what you need to do.

I was always the champion and will always be as long as I'm in the featherweight division.

Everybody fights for money, of course, but I wanted to leave a legacy when I retired, get my name in the history. I don't think like that anymore. When I lost the belt, I saw how reality is. Champion means nothing.

When I'm inside the cage, nobody will take anything away from me.

I love sports - I am a die-hard fan of soccer, and I am always at Maracana Stadium in Rio watching Flamengo play. I am also a big fan of basketball; I stay up at night to watch Lebron James play whenever I can.

We have to talk a little trash to sell fights, talk more, because we know we will profit more from that. It's important.

When I started, athletes fought for honor, respect, philosophy.

I wanted to train jiu-jitsu instead of capoeira because the mat was soft. It was better than training capoeira on the hard floor. I started reading jiu-jitsu magazines, reading about the world champions, and becoming one of them became my goal.

Some fighters have a great punch; others don't.

The athlete is not treated like he deserves. We deserve better. I'm not speaking only about the UFC, but about the media as well. The fans treat us really well.

If I say one thing to the UFC, I say it in an interview. I don't have conflicting stories.

I think Americans are really patriotic people, so patriotism is something they can understand. I'm very patriotic about Brazil, my country, and that includes my language.

My objective since I started my career was: become the champion, remain the champion, retire the champion.

Portuguese is the language of my heart; it's the language of my feelings. It's the language that I feel I can express myself best in.

Of course, people will be partial, but I put myself among the best in history.

Some people win 10, 15, and don't fight for the belt.

People come to me to say I don't sell; Brazilian media say I don't give interviews. Nobody is obligated to do anything.

A champion doesn't choose opponents or where the fight is going to be.

McGregor has no respect for the sport, for the person. That's it. He's not good for the sport.

I want to follow my path.

We win, lose, but learn in the defeat.

I fight for everybody, national and international, no matter where they are. I want to help those athletes. Not only those in the UFC - those that are in the big league and can have a better future - but those in the small promotions and need our help.

I take much pride in winning. I don't accept losses, so I'm always going after that. The day I lose this fire, I think it's time for us to stop.

McGregor was never a champion of anything. He defeated the champion and left.

I'm happy that Holloway is the champion. An example, someone who deserved being where he is.

Rankings mean nothing. You have to talk trash.

I want superfights, to challenge other opponents.

We need to know how to handle the criticism.

The best is that one that beats everybody. I don't care about the rankings.

We always try the knockout, but it's hard to get it if the opponent always runs away.

Every fight is a new fight.

Even parrots talk. I don't care about what they say.

We create difficulties in training, so we never think it's easy.

I don't even watch my own fights. If it's not someone from my team or someone I like, I guarantee you that I'll go to the movies with my family instead.

I can fight Cain Velasquez if they want. It's not up to me, I'm not the matchmaker.