It was always a goal of mine to bring a world title fight back to my city of Baltimore.
It would be a great thing for my legacy to get in the ring with an all-time great.
I want to be a champion. I want to be a long-reigning featherweight champion. I want to be known in the history books: my name everywhere as a champion. And then, later on in my career, when I start getting good, then I can start doing the exhibition matches for money and stuff.
Back in the day, I was a Royce Gracie fan and a fan of Tank Abbott. It's always the different-looking guys that you want to root for. Then there were guys like Mark Coleman and Randy Couture, so for me to get in there and fight against guys like that is pretty cool.
Being the guy that ended the run of the greatest fighter ever will always be attached to my name.
I don't believe you've seen the best of The Hayemaker yet. I want to leave on the top of the game. Recognised as the best heavyweight fighter on the planet, then I can hang the gloves back up in peace.
I need those meaningful fights, the fights that everyone wants to see. That would help my legacy a long way.
I think both Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva are establishing legacies just by how long they've maintained their championship runs. I think both of them still have a lot left in their careers.
I feel like Randy Couture has helped build the history in this sport.
I got to fight the greatest-of-all-time in my weight division - not once but twice. I was watching this guy when I was 16 years old when I first started kickboxing. I wanted to fight Aldo in a kickboxing match. A couple years later, I came to MMA and wanted to fight him. 10 years later, I got to fight the man twice.
You look at the top five right now and see guys like Kelvin Gastelum, who I've beaten, Carlos Condit, who I've beaten, Robbie Lawler, who I've beaten. How are those guys more notable than I am, and I'm the champion of the world?
Boxing's in my genes. I come from a fighting background. My dad and both my uncles were good boxers. I'm blessed with the art of war.
