We see fighters fight their whole career and never get a title shot. It doesn't matter if they rack up 10 wins if people think they're boring. We all know how it works.
I'd like to fight and get close to that title shot - that's all I'm interested in. My whole purpose is to fight for the world title.
I don't think we can fully understand just how much pressure is on these fighters' shoulders once they win the UFC title. It's a grind just to get to the title fight. You're not earning a lot of money, and the sport takes a real toll on your body. And then once you get the belt, you've got an army of fighters coming for you right away.
It makes me very, very happy to get someone a world title shot, which I've done with a few fighters, or a European title shot or a British title, and I see them lift that belt above their waist and they come to me and say 'Thanks Ricky. I've just paid my mortgage off with that.' That's what its all about.
I'm just not into the whole begging for a title fight, managers try to get a whole campaign going... If you want to give me the title shot, then just give it to me, I'll show up and I'll perform, but for me, my fighting speaks for itself.
You know, I think I had a great career; there's not much I think I'd do different other than get a title shot much earlier. I didn't get one till 49 or 50 fights into my career.
I'm down to fight anybody that's going to move me up and help my career and get me closer to that title shot.
I think the smart people will get even smarter, and the dumb people will get even dumber. But I think they all will enjoy A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila, no matter how you slice it. You know, we keep eating it up. Some of the most intelligent people I know cannot get enough of it. That's a dangerous thing.
It took me 10 fights to get the damn interim title shot and then 11 to get an undisputed shot.
Confident fighters are dangerous fighters. I know that. But there other fighters who said before a fight they were stronger than me, hit harder, were going to knock me out. Walters is a good champion but really how many quality fights has he been in compared to where I have been in my career? We both have speed, we both have power. It's an explosive fight. This is going to end in a knockout. I will go into the ring and do my best.
Oh, my God, I don't think any player can look forward to or expect to a career of so many Grand Slam wins or title wins or being so long at the top of the game.
After the Ronda fight, I wasn't sure what the UFC held for me. I think coming out of that fight, I didn't know if losing that fight meant that I could get cut because I knew the rumors at the time was how easily fighters could get cut from the UFC.
I'm working hard and I think I'm where I should be at by now but I'm in no hurry at all, I'm taking one fight at a time, I want to win my fights. With the title shot I don't know yet but if I get the chance someday, I will be more than ready.
People think they want to know how magic works, but really they don't. How it works is never as amazing as what the trick was in the first place, so it's never going to make you feel good. Somebody just wanting to know how a trick works is never enough to make me want to tell them.
I could string together 15 wins in a row and still not get a title shot.
It's not who wins the fight that's important, it's being willing to fight. If you get challenged and renege, everyone wants to take a shot at you.
This fan thing doesn't really have any effect on my career goals. You know, I'll still be training fighters and haven't made any career plans yet. Just like I hadn't made any career plans before I fought Maccarinelli. I'll see how it goes, see how I feel. I always listen to my body.