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I recall the hard work that my family went through just to continue to live the lifestyle that we were living, which wasn't by any means a great lifestyle.
Once Africans realise we can just fight and get paid for it, we can do that and still provide for ourselves and our families and countries? We're going to flood the market.
I lived with my grandmother for a year when I was very young, and even to this day, when I tell my mother events that took place, she can't believe that I can recall that far.
When you're doing something like wrestling - wrestling is one of the toughest and hardest martial arts to learn - but it's still a form of martial arts. It's still controlled.
There was a time when guys just had a specialty, like boxer or wrestler or jiujitsu guy. Then came guys who could blend taking you down with also being able to kick your head off.
I would love to fight a lot more often, but of course it's the UFC, and whenever they feel that they have an opening, then they can put us in there because there's so many fighters.
I believe that, just naturally, I'm a very soft-spoken person. Everyone tells me that on a daily basis - 'Speak up, we can't hear you,' or 'Elaborate on this.' But that's just how I am.
I believe that I'm not just a fighter in this game; I love to study the sport. And in studying the sport, I believe I have a good eye for the sport, and I'm able to talk about the sport.
When I first got into the sport, or first got into athletics, I always felt that sense of responsibility that I was destined for something bigger, that I was going to do something major.
My thing is, if you're going to talk online, if you're going to come at me with a certain energy, when you see me on-site, keep that certain energy. That's it. That's it. That's all I am.
When I eventually get my hands on Covington, its more than just a fight: it symbolizes so many other things. It symbolizes the attitude toward immigrants in this country and around the world.
Not everybody out here trains with me; not everybody knows what I'm capable of. My coaches know what I'm capable of, my training partners know what I'm capable of, and I know what I'm capable of.
When you go to hotels, who are the maids who work at most of those hotels? A lot of them are immigrants. We take pride in that because we're in a better place and want to provide for our families.
I'd like to think I'm a hybrid to where, if you had to pick, where would you say I'm weak? I can outwrestle guys; I can outgrapple guys. I can put your lights out, and I have a gas tank for days. I can do it all.
Fighters no longer manage themselves: they have a whole team behind them. A fighter has a manager, an agent, a Hollywood agent - they got this and that. And on top of that, they've got their whole team of coaches.
As an African, there are certain professions your family want you to do or are willing to sign off. Being in the medical professional, as a doctor, pharmacist, a nurse, or being an engineer - those are the only professions allowed!
Can anyone tell me what Jon Jones was ranked when he fought for the UFC title? No one knows. I believe, in that aspect, it was easier to get fights back then. It wasn't, 'What's this guy ranked?' You fought, made your money, and went home.
Once I go into these fights, and we have to go through the ringer to prepare for them, and we know I'm not 100 percent going in, winning is the most important thing, and dominating is the most important thing, and that's what we've been doing.
A lot of people forget that Americans are immigrants. People are forgetting that, to where people have this attitude, 'We're Americans, go back to your country. Go back. This is a free country.' I always heard that growing up. I always heard that.
Wrestling definitely shaped the direction of my life because, before that, I wanted to fit in so much. I wanted to be one of the cool cats. I was friends with the captain of the football team because he had all the chicks. I wanted to be that guy.
When I fought in The Ultimate Fighter Finale, I had microfracture surgery, and that's usually eight month's recovery turnaround. I had to fight three months after that, and I fought three months after that. And I had to train through that with that.
We didn't have running water. We had to get water from wells, and there was a stint where I lived with my grandma where we had to get water, bring it over to the house. You had to boil the water because you never knew what parasites were in the water.
I believe the UFC was sold based on their performance and the services they've provided, so if a company comes in and buys it, they just bought the blueprints of their success. I believe that WME-IMG bought the UFC because of its structure and success.
I never in my wildest dreams dreamt of being in a position like this, of having a platform like this, where I can really show the world - not just Africa, but the entire world, people in Asia, India, wherever - that your current situation doesn't have to determine your future.
I think it's great to have USADA come in and clean up the sport, because what I don't want to do is train my butt off for 10 weeks to prepare for a fight for a limited amount of money to feed my family, then get out there with a guy that maybe put in 3 weeks training and cheated.
One of the hardest parts of this game, and what I don't think people understand, is the mental side of it. They think, 'Oh, he's a big, stronger guy.' But let me tell you, and I believe this without question: It's not always the biggest, strongest, meanest, toughest-looking who gets the job done.
Being a great physical athlete is wonderful, and you need it at this level to be able to train and prepare accordingly. But the closer it comes time to perform, the ratio switches. When you're in camp, it's 90 percent physical and 10 percent mental. But as you get to fight night, it's the opposite.
Demian Maia, he's a legend. He's a veteran in the game. He knows how to fight. He's been through so many five-round fights. He's headlined a lot of cards, fought Anderson Silva for the title, fought Tyron Woodley for the title. He's a veteran, he knows how to fight, and he's always training. He's a jiu-jitsu wizard.