Quotes from Liz Carmouche

My friends' parents who were in the Marines, they were the people I looked up to the most. I looked up to them as role models.

I always train to do five rounds.

I'm not satisfied with walking away from something and letting it beat me. That's not my spirit.

When I joined the Marine Corps, you have to do a vocational test to get in, and I took the test, they were like, 'You did great. You can do anything you want to do.' I said, 'OK, I want to do this.' 'Except for that because you're a woman.'

Beast. That's what everybody says about me.

I'm my hardest critic, I expect the best of myself, I'm a perfectionist.

My nickname was Liz Lemon. When I would go for a takedown or get in there to 'ground and pound,' I would make this disgustingly horrible face like I sucked on a lemon.

Once I experienced that loss to Miesha, I wanted to get back in the cage and show that it was just a mistake.

Growing up, I never thought that I would fall into any category. I felt like I didn't fit in anywhere.

There was a point when people didn't see the UFC as supporting the LGBT community or homosexuality. But by embracing me, the UFC showed that wasn't true and that it wanted to support the community as much as possible.

I always wanted to make sure that within my unit that I was never the weak person. So I made sure that my physical fitness was top.

Growing up I was always stronger than all the other kids. I wasn't allowed to play with the other girls because they were too weak. And I had to be careful with boys because I'd always be hitting them and I'd get into trouble for hurting them.

One thing I learned in the military is we fight for everybody's rights to say and do as they please, so everybody is free to make their choices.

I've had nothing but positive feedback and support from the LGBT community.

When my contract with the military was done, then I started following MMA.

After my time in the Marine Corps with 'don't ask, don't tell,' I didn't want to hide any more.

I think I'm a different creature from the rest.

As a champion, you are supposed to embody professionalism for the entire weight division.

I've always been a little powerhouse.

I didn't come from a combat sports background where I had a real definitive background in anything to fall back onto.

I was offered an opportunity to do the Sports Illustrated cover when they did the skin cover with Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey. That to me was compromising my integrity of who I was and everything that I stand for.

There's a feeling of invincibility that comes with being young, with being fit and in the prime of your life. But I learned when I was in the Marines just like I've learned as a UFC fighter that no one is invincible, and that you have to project yourself at all times.

It went from 'I was a nobody on the street, just another person.' It turned into something completely different. People were coming up to me, they knew who I was us, requesting pictures.

I was able to come out to my family, but other than that I couldn't come out to co-workers or to friends because of what that would mean for my military life and my career. That made my life difficult, because I felt like I was constantly conflicted and at war with myself every day that I faced people.