Zitat:“There’s no way to be joyful with the way we are being screwed over. When I fought Yushin Okami, it was like, ‘If you get past Okami, it’s the belt.’ I knocked him out. Okami had never received such a beating in his life, so I knocked him out.

Then Lyoto Machida fights Mousasi, puts on that bland, five-round fight and gets the title shot. I fight Mousasi, submit him, beat him up, and then what? I don’t fight for the belt. Same with Vitor Belfort.

The guy is a phenomenon, fought for the belt millions of times. ‘If you get past him, you get the fight.’ I beat him up – beat him up a lot, by the way. And I don’t get the shot. OK, then – what am I going to do? Be happy? I can’t.”

Zitat:“Man, it’s complicated to talk about it. I didn’t even get a ‘thank you’ from Dana or Lorenzo after my last fight. I was the one who wanted to fight, of course, I took the fight, but I know what I’m worth, my importance. I was really disappointed with the lack of respect from the UFC towards Brazilian athletes. I’m an athlete who took the sport to another level. I don’t get or [have ever gotten] the respect from people. That made me really upset, sad and disappointed with the UFC.

I didn’t talk to them or anyone after my last fight. They even offered me to stay in standby in case something happened with Bisping or Henderson. But it’s more absurd how that offer came. They didn’t even talk to me. My representatives came as a messenger pigeon. I'm not the type of guy to get messages. After everything I’ve done, I still have to stand by and wait for a fight I won? I found it a little unpleasant.

I will say it again: I’m really disappointed with the way they have treated me, very upset with all that. I was not the one who said I was the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Dana said that. Maybe he said that to promote the event or because he really thought that. We will never know the truth. The fact is that everything I’ve done, no one else could do. I won’t want to be cocky or arrogant or think I’m the best, but what I’ve tried to do all those years was to show I was different from the others. And that’s not my opinion, but everyone’s.”

Zitat:"I'm a little bit upset because I already had two contracts to fight for the title at 205 and UFC 206. I signed both of them and after that the UFC makes this bullsh—t decision. I'm a little bit upset but it's okay. Sometimes sh— happens, you know…”

Zitat:“If I don't fight for the title, I'm gonna show how I have power in Russia. And UFC, I don't fight in UFC ever and UFC never, ever go to the Russia. UFC think Conor have power. I have power too. This is not all about pay-per-view. I have power too. I'm gonna show this power.

After this fight I have to fight for the title. UFC thinks Conor has power? Irish people only like 6 million people. I am from Russia. 150 million people. If UFC don't give me the title fight after this fight, I'm going to show how I have power in Russia. I know if I don't fight for the title next fight, UFC will never, ever go to Russia.

Eddie understands who is who. Eddie and Eddie's coaches, everybody know 'this a very tough fight for me.' That's why he don't take this fight. He even said 'I want an easy fight'. You're champion. UFC champion. You're supposed to fight No. 1 ranked, and number one ranked is not easy. For me, it's a crazy situation. But it's ok. Life is going and I'm going to keep going and I'm going to finish Michael Johnson at UFC 205 and after this I want to fight for the title.”

Zitat:“Is CM Punk going to be a guy who is going to stay in the UFC and continue to fight? Probably not. But he wanted to try it. I like the guy. I respect the guy. He wanted to fight in the UFC. He wanted to do it. He trained for two years, and he did it.”