What would you learn from Michael Chandler?
I can learn a lot from Michael Chandler. He’s explosive, he can teach explosiveness. He comes with his wrestling, and his coach, Henri Hooft, I can learn a lot from him, too. I feel like everything they have fits my style of fighting.
What would you learn from Conor McGregor?
His striking is slick, it’s really slick, so I think I can learn a lot of that [style]. I think I could learn to use my hands and my feet more and how to be more confident in my hands and my feet, and how to really set up certain strikes that could put people away. I like Conor, he has some good things that he could teach me, too. I’m looking forward to whoever I’m working with, whoever’s team I’m on, just giving them my all.
What do you think is going to be your toughest challenge in making it to the end?
I think my biggest thing will be the anticipation of getting hurt. The weight cut, I’m aways good. I’m not a big 155er, I’m a little 155er, so I can make the weight. So just staying healthy, making sure I don’t get hurt and making sure I can keep going on the show. That’s what I think will be the biggest problem.
I really don’t mind everyone else; I’m more about myself. I think it will be good to get some work with everybody but I ain’t worried about nobody. I’m worried about myself, worried about what I came here to do. I got people that’s waiting for me, people that want me to succeed, and these guys are here for the same thing. They’re here to do what they got to do, so I got to make sure I stay focused on me and only me.
Before The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs Team Chandler Preview Show
Do you think having experience in Dana White Contender Series will give you an advantage over the new bloods?
Yeah, I think it could, it really depends. I don’t really think it matters where you fight at because a fight is still a fight. I have fights outside of this and I still feel the same feeling that I feel when I walk into a UFC cage. I don’t really think the cage matters. I think it’s how we approach it. So maybe, maybe not, but, like I said, I’m just worried about what I got to do and how I come in there.
Why are you going to be the winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 31?
Man, I’m just hungry right now. Everybody’s hungry but I’m really hungry right now. I lost a lot and I’m ready to get everything back. I’m ready to prove that I’m supposed to be here. I’ve made some mistakes and I’m just ready to make up for it, go in there, and give it my all. I don’t think this is my last shot, I think even if I go in there and I don’t get it done, I think that I’ll be back. I think regardless, my fighting style fits this company. I know every time I step in there, I bring a good fight and I’m going to fight. So, I’m going in there, giving it everything I got, make sure I don’t leave anything out and just go ahead and push forward.
