My objective since I started my career was: become the champion, remain the champion, retire the champion.
I'm really proud to represent both cultures, Canadian and Indian, and hopefully I'm making both countries proud as WWE champion.
Personally, I am hoping being champion will increase the WWE Universe in India because I know that Indian fans are really passionate, and I want to be WWE Champion in India.
People are entitled to their own opinion as far as what a WWE Champion should be, but the fact is that I am WWE Champion and that's a fact. It is what it is.
I debuted in WWE right around the time when the 'Attitude Era' ended and WWE programming switched to Parental Guidance. Back then, we had one champion, and if you weren't the champion or the challenger, securing television time was often challenging.
Ever since I was a little kid the only thing I've ever wanted to do was be in the WWE, and not just be on the roster but to be a champion.
One of my goals is definitely to motivate the youth towards sports. Whether it's arts or academics, I just want to let them know that anything is possible. To think that I grew up as a WWE fan and now I'm a WWE champion proves that through hard work anything really is possible.
It took me 11 years to get a shot at the WWE championship; not just to win it, but just to get a shot, but luckily I was able to capitalize on that and become WWE champion, but if I had quit I wouldn't have been in that position.
I have no problem with Brock Lesnar being a part-timer, because he's earned that spot. He's a multiple time champion in WWE, a former UFC Champion, NCAA amateur wrestling champion, so his accolades speak for themselves.
Getting released in 2014 was the best thing that happened to me because I got to regain my focus, regain my pride, and come back as the best-conditioned athlete there is in WWE, which ultimately led me to become the single greatest WWE champion.
I won Money in the Bank twice, and then I cashed it in to become Champion. I was Champion. No one can ever take that away from me.
Pretty much every record I've ever done, I can go back and listen to them and be proud. I'm proud of everything I've done.
I'm not saying Gustafsson isn't a champion. He's not the champion that I am. He's not a champion at all. I've won the belt seven times. He got tapped out by Phil Davis and lost to me fair and square. This guy gets so much praise. Having a close fight with me was the greatest thing he's ever done.
What I'm trying to do is reinvent what the face of a champion looks like. I'm out there trying to represent for the people who question whether they can become a champion or not.
It's something to be proud about when I'm done, to look back at my career and know I've handled myself the way I wanted to - that my son can look back at my career and be proud of his dad.
Of course, to be WWE world champion is definitely on my list. Anybody who is not reaching for that proverbial brass ring is doing something wrong if they're in the WWE.