My first stadium show was in China, it was a 50,000-seat stadium. I think 40,000 showed up.

I fought probably 23 or 24 times when I was over in China, in a year.

The promoters in New Zealand weren't looking at me, they didn't see the potential. But when I was fighting in China they brought me over there as a journeyman so all their guys could whup up on me. Then they realised that's not gonna happen because I kept whupping up on their guys. Then they decided, 'Let's bring this guy into our team.'

I've never had staph in my life. Knock on wood, I never will.

Look, I can't dim my shine just because some people feel uncomfortable.

I've talked about tall poppy syndrome when I see people. I used to be like, 'Why am I feeling this way? What is that person taking from me that makes me feel inadequate?' That same feeling you feel when you feel uncomfortable because people start talking about racism, lean into that feeling, don't just look away from it, because you can't pretend.

I just want to fight and be remembered as the best, who fought everyone and beat them. Then the money, the numbers, the records, they all chase me.

I don't really take punishment from fights; the punishment is from the training, from my teammates.

I'm like the only Kiwi that can fly, I'm the one with the biggest wing.

I am a very persuasive man.

I wear gold all of the time. I collect gold like a magpie.

The wrestling begins before you even engage in the clinch, I've said this already. This is one thing people don't know, wrestling begins on the feet with the stand up.

I feel like MMA athletes are the best athletes in the world.

A lot of people say they don't care about the belt, but that's not true. For me, when I say it, I really mean that.

I want to fight the guys that are ranked above me, even though I don't care about rankings because they're just opinions anyway. Even if a guy is below me and wants to fight, I'll take the fight if it makes sense.

On the feet, on the ground, I have all the bases covered.

I'd rather be very well prepared before I move to heavyweight or light heavyweight. That's according to my own schedule - no one else's.

I'm smart about the way I move. I'm smart about the way I conduct myself outside the Octagon, like who I associate myself with.

I can't force a guy to fight.

I'm not going to say I'm perfect. I never have.

I've had malaria damn near eight times.

I'm not stupid. After you just punch me, I'm not gonna be like, 'Alright, let me do that again.'

I'm not an actor. I'm a fighter.

Kiwis, we love a good one out. We love a good fight. This is part of the culture. Straight up. We're a country of a warrior race, the Maori.