Quotes from Ryan Bader

I've fallen short in my career, in MMA, but it is what it is. You're going to do that. I just wanted opportunities.

It really wasn't until halfway through my career that I learned had to jab and to box and to kickbox.

I remember standing across from Rampage Jackson when I was younger - I watched him when I was coming up - and then I was fighting him in Japan.

Years and years ago, Jon Jones was untouchable. You couldn't win a round against him.

I'm not one of those guys talking smack, because we've seen it catches up to you at some point.

Jon Jones is a dynamic fighter, he's very exciting, he's been going out there and beating people convincingly.

I've fought on 'The Ultimate Fighter' in front of 30-40 people, and I kinda like that. There's no distractions.

You think you've got to go out and knock someone out for it to be an impressive win. But it's kind of hard to even know what an impressive win means.

I definitely followed him. Coming up, if you wanted to see some fights on YouTube, you pulled up Fedor. His tenacity, aggression and ability to get out of bad positions and bad situations - he used to be in those freak-show fights against guys who were 7 feet - he'd figure it out and get it done.

My whole style of wrestling is I like to use the truck double. It's basically a tackle for MMA.

The men and women in the United States Military allow me to live my dream, and I want to continue to do everything I can to thank them.

My mindset has changed. When I was fighting guys like Glover I was second-guessing myself. Am I the best in the world? Do I deserve to be up here. Now I know it.

Some people say I miss a lot of shots, but I'm not missing them, that's how I set them up. I'm not in danger if I don't get a takedown.

I was very new to the sport when I entered 'The Ultimate Fighter' and basically got by on my athletic ability and my wrestling. I've since added a lot more tools to my game and continue to develop as a mixed martial artist.

I'm not taking anything away from DC. He carries himself well, is a champion, a stud athlete, an unbelievable fighter and it'd be one hell of a fight. But I wouldn't be in this sport or the position I'm in today if I didn't believe I can beat him.

When I get into the Octagon I look at it as another sparring session kind of.

I grew up in a bracket sport, in wrestling. You win, that does the talking, you move on.

If I had the opportunity to fight any fighter, if you'd asked me when I started fighting, it would be Fedor. That aura and mystique about him.

We step up and fight the top names that nobody wants to fight. So if I hear people saying, 'oh, you're ducking this or ducking that,' no I haven't ducked anybody.

I've been the underdog a lot in the UFC and I love playing that role.

I'm used to playing the underdog role and the favorite.

I think it's one of the more underrated careers out there. A lot of times it wasn't the flashiest stuff, but I've gone out there, I've had great streaks, I won the light heavyweight belt.

Coming over to Bellator, it was a great decision. I came over and had the opportunity to fight for the light heavyweight title right away at Madison Square Garden.

It doesn't matter who stands in front of me, I've got to find a way to go out there and win.