“There's one fight in the division that people are really calling for over and over and over again, and It's me and O Malley. If you threw us on that white House card, I think that would be such a gigantic fight.-via Ariel Helwani YT Channel”

“He's an animal for that. All the respect in the world for that because he doesn't have to do that, but he wants to. That dude is a unique individual. Good for him for fighting again that soon because I would never do that.”

“And that's an absolutely winnable fight. I just have to not almost get knocked the fuck out in the second round. Uh, congrats to Merab for almost doing what he said he was gonna do. But not quite. Um, so good on him. He's a good face for the division. I'm proud of that dude.Uh, I absolutely still believe in myself and that I'll be champ- Via X”

“Congrats to the champ - you're a hell of a fighter and a great champion of the division. I'm proud to have fought you. I'll get you next time!! To all my fans, nothing changes for me. It's all hard work till the day I hang it up. We'll still get to gold - even though the water is murky right now. I'll always have an unbreakable spirit until the day I die,love this shit.Love you ouys. Peace.”

“And at this point, the way that I?m training and the way that I?m feeling, and the way that I know I could do everything, I just don?t see a path to victory for Merab. The way I?m doing stuff, man, I just can?t see me losing.”

“I've made mistakes in past fights against guys similar to Merab, where I was a little too defensive. This time I'm all offense, and it's going to be Merab who has to deal with me.”

“Merab you had a good run but it's my time.”

“He beat Umar by Umar getting way too tired. I don’t get tired. He beat O’Malley because O’Malley got outwrestled. I don’t get out wrestled. Merab’s way of winning is getting people tired and wrestling them, and no one’s ever beat me like that”