Look back at my career - I was 19 or 20 years old when I started fighting those guys. As soon as I got into the UFC I was willing to take on the number one guys. I fought Carlos Condit in my second appearance in the UFC.
There are guys that just entered the UFC and people already talk about fighting for the belt. Guys that have one fight there and say call a jiu-jitsu phenom. They haven't done anything in the UFC yet to deserve all that attention.
I believe the UFC knows I'm capable of fighting the top guys and that I'm willing to take them all on.
After I started training with some of the best in the world and fighting in the UFC, I started really wanting fights with guys I used to idolize and watch on TV. Guys like Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture.
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?
When I first started, I lived in Vegas because I was fighting in the UFC, and I was still fighting after the UFC.
I've been working for the UFC since I stopped fighting. It's been very exciting, looking at all the new guys, all the young talents in Brazil and trying to help them out, promote themselves and get them into the UFC.
To stay in the UFC while fighting top opponents... tell me one easy fight I had in the UFC. I have a history in the UFC.
Stipe's one of the top guys in the UFC. He wouldn't be in the UFC if he wasn't one of the best in the world.
At 185 in the UFC they had Rich Franklin and Anderson Silva, and I couldn't go to 205 - they had Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell and all of those big guys. I just wasn't mature enough, so if I hadn't fought at 170 I probably wouldn't have had the career I've had.
I think I've put in some work and I've fought some tough guys early in my UFC career in order for me to get in that spot of being on the main card.
Gray Maynard? Kenny Florian? All these guys, they're UFC fighters, that's all. They're pushed by the UFC, but when they leave the UFC, they're forgotten. When's the last time you heard Josh Neer's name? You haven't. When's the last time you heard about Roger Hurerta? You haven't. They're no ones anymore.
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.
I'm honoured and blessed to even be in the UFC, much less be 19 years old in the UFC, knowing I have so much time to learn, so much technique to learn, everything all around to make myself better.
I feel for the guys in UFC who helped open the UFC up. Obviously, I'm getting blackballed there by the UFC, so I'm kind of feeling on both sides. If a promotion or somebody in that promotion decides they don't like an individual, then they get to make up the rules, and the fans don't get a say in it at all.
I get wanting to fight in the UFC. I got my start there. I fought 20 times there.
When I was in the UFC I challenged some of the biggest guys in the world. When I was fighting in Europe I did the same.