My cigarettes came out this week.
I’m not exactly proud of my smoking, but as I’ve said a million times on here, I came on The Ultimate Fighter to win a UFC contract and be myself. And right now I’m a smoker.
I was much heavier before and used cigarettes as a way to drop weight. I lost about a hundred pounds, but the smoking has stayed since Day 1 of my MMA career.
RECAP LAST NIGHT’S ALL-NEW EPISODE
Now, as a fighter, I don’t believe the smoking helps me. It calms me down and it’s something that I enjoy, but I’m not delusional to think that it helps me once I’m in the Octagon. But I also firmly believe they aren’t holding me back right now. Ask any of my coaches or teammates; I’m always in great shape and always ready to go three rounds. Heck, I went five full rounds for the LFA Heavyweight Championship in April, and I would’ve fought another five later that night if I could.
I plan to make my way to a UFC championship. I realize that I’m going to have to put the cigarettes down to get there. But quite honestly I’m not ready. They haven’t affected me in a negative way, and unfortunately I just enjoy smoking. I can’t quit something that I enjoy that much.
Now, unlike a few of my housemates who were smoking behind the scenes once I broke the ice, I’m not afraid to be myself on camera. I’m ready for the social media onslaught, and I really don’t care.
At the end of the day, I’m just happy that people are paying attention.
