Fighter Training Quotes

MMA has evolved. When you look at an MMA fighter's skill set, boxing has to be a big piece of it. All of them have a boxing coach now and strive to have a good stand-up game, knowing that to be a complete fighter, you have to tend to your striking skills.

I think I'm one of the hardest-training fighters in the world.

To be a successful fighter now, you have to go to a camp.

Aside from a handful of guys boxing is missing the good trainers, that's why our sport is so in the air now because we don't have people who have the capability to not only train fighters but also train and create decent respectable citizens of the world.

I really work on my defense a lot; that's what makes me a good fighter.

I'm training at everything. Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, striking. Everything. I think to be in the UFC, you have to be well rounded at everything. That's the goal.

The techniques that you learn as a male fighter are the same techniques you learn as a female fighter.

'Fight Master' is a proving ground for young, aspiring fighters who want a chance to play on a bigger stage. That's something it has in common with 'The Ultimate Fighter,' which has always been like a farm league for the UFC, a place to develop new talent.

Gracie is not a family, it's a factory of fighters.

I think a trainer is very important at the beginning of a fighter's career. A fighter needs to know how to throw a left, throw a right, how to duck, how to do certain things. Over time, you don't really need a trainer. You've got to train yourself. You've got to motivate yourself. And I don't think anybody can put that in you.

I think footwork is one of the most important things to becoming a great fighter. That's where everything starts.

Everybody knows where I come from and how my jiu-jitsu is, training at Macaco Gold Team, but I also work on my striking at Chute Boxe Diego Lima, so I'm prepared on the feet and on the ground.

Maybe when I'm done fighting, I'll open a gym and manage fighters and train fighters.

Not being able to train or fight for a long time is not going to make you a better fighter.

A lot of fighters just go to the gym and spar or wrestle, but they forget about their conditioning. Things like that cause lots of injuries.

The only way for a fighter to get back in shape is to fight his way back.

I've known Woodley for nine-plus years, ten-plus years. We've worked out together plenty. He's one of the guys who used to slam me all around the place. I was at 155, he was at 170 pounds and he was just the wrestler that is a superpower. So that was one of the dudes that got my wrestling a little better from going with guys like that.

Jacobs was a very good fighter and gave me good learning experience going 12 rounds.

I lift weights, but that's not my main focus. I'm a fighter now, and I want to evolve and make myself a well-rounded fighter, so obviously I'm not going to leave any stone unturned, when it comes to submissions, submission defense, striking, knees, leg kicks, and also learning to defend everything. It's not just an offensive sport because you're going to take some punches and you're going to give some punches. You've got to be able to handle both sides of the spectrum. I've brought in a number of highly trained trainers to help me evolve, and I believe we've left no stone unturned.

One of my brothers teaches karate at our gym and also handles the administrative side of the gym. My other brother is a fighter like me and teaches a class at the gym. So my brothers are always at the gym together training.

Joe DeGuardia, I love that guy. He's not a superstar promoter yet, but he will be. He was a fighter himself; he's staying the course with these guys. He's developing some good fighters out there. I really applaud him whenever I get a chance to.

I met Pat Militich when I was a junior in high school when I was 16 and just started training and went from there. I went to the same high school that Pat had attended and he would bring some of his fighters out to wrestling practice to work out and I got to know him that way. I immediately like it.

Training with the best fighters in the world and getting top coaching - I do feel it improved me a lot as a fighter.

The experience I've had with Strikeforce kickboxing, K1, Strikeforce MMA, working with ESPN, working with Showtime, working with Japanese television, working with fighter camps from all over the world has given me a unique perspective.

I like being able to do all of my own stunts. I appreciate stunt guys and what they do and, of course, the time and the effort that they put in, but for me, I'm young. You only live once, so to be able to do all your own stunts, train, become a real fighter... I feel like I can hold my own.