KAMARU USMAN

When you start out doing something, you never wonder how big is this going to be, or how will I be remembered, or will people even care for me.

At the end of the day, I'm a professional.

Once you have an opponent in your mind that you're preparing for, you're working on specifics, and you get guys in to mimic what they do.

At the end of the day, my job is to win in impressive fashion.

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.

It's my job to show up, make weight, and prepare to be a world champion if that opportunity presents itself.

Fighting is just something that's gonna open doors for things to come in the future.

You never say never. That's one of the lessons I've learned.

I'm a good, upstanding guy with moral values and core values.

You don't have to be outlandish and saying crazy things and get out of yourself to get headlines or attention.

My parents didn't want me to do this. My dad, when I told him I wanted to wrestle, he told me no, if you're going to play any sports, play baseball.

I study this sport.

Nothing but respect for Demian Maia.

There's a blessing in everything that happens to us.

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.

You can't say I don't have the confidence, because I have that.

I ask for the fights. Sometimes I get them. Sometimes I don't.

In my village where I'm from, there's still not running water everywhere. People are still struggling to get clean water.

I believe, if I beat Demian Maia, it's going to be very hard for the other top guys to go around me.

I got into this sport to make a statement.

We never complained, 'We don't have this or that.' Even though we had to plant certain things and harvest them to be able to eat, we never complained.

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!

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.

I think Mike Perry is a guy the fans actually care about.