I'm very comfortable in Bellator. It would be interesting to have superfight between a Bellator champion and an UFC champion. I wouldn't have to necessarily migrate to the UFC. We could just have one duel. When it comes to the best fighters in the UFC, I think I'm better than all of them.
UFC is UFC, and God bless them, they have the largest roster and some amazing fighters, but there's amazing fighters everywhere. That's why I am impressed with what Bellator has attempted to do with the tournament or with Aaron Pico and some of the younger talent.
Being in the UFC doesn't mean you're the best. UFC is tough too, but Bellator is tougher.
I'm just tired of the unethical people, the scumbags, all that. Maybe that's how all businesses are run, but in MMA, I've been in the UFC, Legacy, and Bellator. The UFC was the best, and even they didn't treat you that well.
Bellator offered me a job. UFC never offered me an opportunity to fight. There's no question that UFC is the top. It's a machine. A lot of people, including myself, have helped build the UFC to where it is today.
Every company that wants to sponsor a fighter in the UFC has to pay a sponsor tax to get inside the Octagon, and that's why many fighters in the UFC struggle to get sponsors. In Bellator, we don't have that.
When I got into the sport and wrote down my goals, it was never to be a UFC main event or to be a on a UFC main card. It was to be the UFC champion.
Many people are blind and only care about the UFC. That's the wrong way of thinking. The proof is Michael Chandler, coming from Bellator, having such a devastating victory in his UFC debut against a highly ranked opponent.
Maybe Bellator would not be a great fit for this guy but would be for this guy. Maybe the UFC is a better call for this guy, but then Bellator is better for that guy. I don't think you can make a blanket statement and say that this organization is great for everybody compared to this organization. Take it case by case.
If no one knew that I was trans - let's say that I made it very, very far. Let's say I went to the UFC and became a UFC champion, even, won the belt title, took it home and no one ever knew - that would be great for me.
I didn't know that I would be the UFC champion. Did I intend on being the UFC champ? Yeah, absolutely. I didn't exactly see myself doing this as a full time job or career but I certainly intended for it when I started down this path.
My show money in Bellator, I make more than I would have in the UFC winning with the Reebok sponsors and anything else I would have got.
Fighting in the UFC means that I'm at the top of the sport, and it means that I'm able to pursue my goal of being a champion in the UFC.
I would want to fight in the UFC or Bellator. Why CM Punk? Anyone, just a worthy adversary. It can't be a world-class fighter.
My biggest desire and everyone knows this is to have a cross-promotional fight between Bellator and UFC. That is unlikely to happen, though.
I'm training to be the champion. I become the champion of whatever I put my mind to, so I believe I will be the champion. I think the UFC will be able to realize that, and we'll see what they say.
When I couldn't sign with the UFC, I think my goal of being Number 1 in the world went out the window. There's just no way of doing that at Welterweight without being in the UFC. I could go 50-0, and as long as it's outside the UFC, I'm not going to be Number 1.