Quotes from Stephen Thompson

Whenever I fight, whenever you see me fight, I work a lot off of angles, using my kicks a lot.

After my last fight with Woodley, I ended up hurting my knee so I was out for almost six months.

I believed I could knock out Rory MacDonald, Johny Hendricks and Jake Ellenberger, and sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't, but I know I can knock these guys out.

I know I can knock Robbie Lawler out.

Anybody in the UFC has a chance to knock you out.

To be honest with you, getting knocked out isn't that bad. It's not what everybody makes it out to be.

Everybody asks me, 'Hey, what's your most memorable fight?' For me, it's definitely the Matt Brown fight.

I'm not the type of guy to back down from anybody. I think if you want to fight in the octagon you have to have that mentality.

If you're strong mentally, you can do anything.

I've always been a fan of those guys. My dad was in military school and I have a bunch of buddies that are Marines, and I just kind of want to give back to those guys that gave more than enough for us.

You just have to put in the work. Work really hard, get a good coach and a good gym. You have to have the right mindset to be a champion. Don't make excuses on going to the gym like your ankle is sore or what.

Everybody wants to see somebody get knocked out. I'm sorry but it's the fight game and that's what they want to see.

Matt Brown did exactly what he said he was going to do. He kicked my butt. But it was a war. I would love to do it again. Matt Brown's a good dude and a great fighter. He's made it up to the top and man, he's a monster.

When I was 15, I fought a guy who was 26 and he was 20-0, undefeated. It was a way for my dad to show me that I was better than I thought. I ended up beating the brakes off this 26-year-old guy. After the fight, the announcer asked my opponent how it felt. He answered, 'I wonder why I stepped in the ring with that boy.'

My dad grew up in a little place near Charleston called Moncks Corner.

Conor has taken the UFC to a whole new level. It's his whole demeanor that appeals to me. He's a fighter, he's a Viking, and on top of that, he's got the gift of gab.

I've known guys who've got knocked out and they get back in there too soon, next thing you know they get clipped and they're out again.

You see this with fighters all the time, if you're not staying active, you're kinda put on the shelf a little bit.

Michael Bisping, in one of his last fights, he stepped out there too soon. He had a brutal fight with Georges St-Pierre and then real quick jumped in against Kelvin Gastelum and just got put away. If you do that, if you step out there too soon... this is your livelihood.

A lot of people look down on people who are successful, but Conor McGregor is successful because he runs his mouth and he knows how to put on a show. I mean, look at his press conferences. I mean, come on. People show up just to see him just act nuts. Hats off to that guy, he's a very intelligent, very smart guy.

No matter how much it hurts, you gotta stay focused on what you're there for and your goals, just don't give up.

All I want to do is what I do best: go out there and put a hand or a foot upside somebody's head.

It's difficult when you step out there with somebody like me and my offense.

I was beating Anthony Pettis. I know nine times out of 10 I would have defeated him. It's just that one time you barely get clipped and down you go.