Michael Chiesa Quotes

Coming back to the UFC was huge. I was ready for the spotlight for the first time.

I thought I was ready for a title shot after I beat Shogun.

People can't always judge by the records. Maybe a guy has 11 wins in MMA but he's fought the best. Someone else has 11 wins but he's fought nobody. It's a difficult sport because someone can be a champion in four fights, look at Brock Lesnar. So records don't always mean a lot.

The American fans would love to see me fight anybody.

I'm ready for anybody. If it's John Dodson, if it's Demetrious Johnson, if it's Joseph Benavidez, I'm ready for whichever one, whoever wants a piece of me.

There's something about somebody who does something special in the UFC that they're allotted certain freedoms and wiggle room around the rules. I'm just not in that category. So if I want to fight Georges St-Pierre or Nick Diaz or Nate Diaz, then it's all the hooplah and all the talk about it.

I had to fight Donald Cerrone, Anthony Pettis, Gil Melendez, Rafael Dos Anjos. I had to fight these guys in order to prove myself in order to get a title shot.

I've beaten Anderson twice, then Lyoto Machida and now Belfort. I'll be proud to have taken down three all-time legends in a row.

We've seen smaller guys in main event fights, and they do well. It just takes the right combination of people I think. I think Dominick Cruz v. T.J. Dillashaw could have main-evented a PPV and done pretty good.

When Kevin Lee's name was brought up, I told everyone I thought this fight would happen. This is a good fight for me. It surprised me because nobody wants to fight in Brazil.

Look at my track record for showing up to fights. Look at my track record of finishing fights. Look at my track record of getting fight night bonuses. Ask yourself if you think that if the UFC decided to truly put marketing dollars behind me that they couldn't sell me or my fights.

The UFC are promoting a lot of cards and there are a lot of fights that people even don't know that will happen. But Wanderlei Silva vs. Dan Henderson would sell very well.

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

If Dana White said he wanted to fight heavyweight, everybody would watch that fight tomorrow just because they want to watch Dana get beat up or win or whatever it is.

What's the point of fighting in the UFC if it isn't to become the champion?

Daniel Cormier is a different champion. He has achieved some amazing things in his career, and for me, it would be very nice to be facing him.

When Misha Cirkunov started his UFC career a perfect 4-0, I really thought he'd be a legit player at 205.

I will do whatever the UFC tells me to do, but there's not a doubt in my mind that I can be champion.

If they call me to fight Jon Jones, I'm ready to fight anyone in the UFC.

When I was in the UFC, I would get tickets for a fight, and then what I would do is go in the crowds and watch the rest of the fights. A lot of times, I would end up taking pictures and signing people's books. I didn't care if I got any money or anything. I was just there enjoying my time and watching the fights.

I don't really care who the UFC put in front of me, but ultimately, I want that belt off Tyron Woodley.

It's going to be an easy fight when I finally get my hands on Tyron Woodley.

Cerrone is a great opponent. The guy won eight fights straight.

Bellator has the best welterweight fighters in the world.

I've been fighting in the UFC for five years now and it's about time I'm headlining a card.