“Even if it's 10 days before or 5 days, I'll be accepting the fight. I'll have my weight checked and be in shape. I'll train, spar and i'll try not to get injured when I'm sparring. But i will push myself”

– via ACBJJ, confirming his intention to serve as the official backup for the interim lightweight title fight between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje at UFC 324

“Even if it's 10 days before or 5 days, I'll be accepting the fight. I'll have my weight checked and be in shape. I'll train, spar and i'll try not to get injured when I'm sparring. But i will push myself”

– via ACBJJ, confirming his intention to serve as the official backup for the interim lightweight title fight between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje at UFC 324

“I can go out there and make it look easy. He's gonna think he's leveled up; i'm gonna show him that's not the case... i don't want to take damage like last time.”

– via Main Event TV, breaking down his title rematch against Diego Lopes for UFC 325, stating his intention to make the fight look easy and show Lopes he hasn't truly "leveled up," while also aiming to avoid the damage he took in their previous bout.

“Everyone’s gonna be shocked because i think i’m gonna knock him out. People won’t expect that. People just think i’m going to grapple and take him down, but i’m not. I’m going to come out and put it on him. I don’t see him getting past the third, just like chandler.”

– via Red Corner MMA, claiming that he will shock everyone by knocking out Justin Gaethje and stating that he has no intention of relying on grappling

“I will win this interim belt and then i will beat ilia [topuria] up and take the proper belt. Defend that and i will go up and win the welterweight belt.”

– via Red Corner MMA, outlining his ambitious plan to win the interim lightweight belt, defeat Ilia Topuria for the undisputed title, defend it, and then move up to welterweight to win that championship as well.

“That will be funny [a fight against Strickland]. Funny interviews, like a lot of things going to happen about that as well. But he lost a lot of fights, he has to win one fight...He lost against the guy [Dricus du Plessis], who I beat, like I destroyed five rounds. That’s why he has to win one fight. But if they give him [the title shot], who cares?”

– via ESPN MMA expressing his opinion about Sean Strickland's Title Shot

“I wanna play spoiler just like I did in Khabib and Tony. I'm going to f**k this up for everybody, and there is going to be no Paddy and Ilia. I'm going to do the same thing I did for that fight, and then i'm going to fight Ilia on the White House card if he's ready to fight again”

– via the UFC 2026 seasonal press conference, stating his intention to "play spoiler" by beating Paddy Pimblett, thereby canceling the highly anticipated Pimblett vs. Topuria fight, and then challenging Ilia Topuria for the undisputed title.

“I wanna play spoiler just like I did in Khabib and Tony. I'm going to f**k this up for everybody, and there is going to be no Paddy and Ilia. I'm going to do the same thing I did for that fight, and then i'm going to fight Ilia on the White House card if he's ready to fight again”

– via the UFC 2026 seasonal press conference, stating his intention to ""play spoiler"" by beating Paddy Pimblett, thereby canceling the highly anticipated Pimblett vs. Topuria fight, and then challenging Ilia Topuria for the undisputed title.

“I don't have any game plan, to be honest... You can make game plans and things like that, but when the fight comes, it can be a whole different game. Whatever he brings, I'll be ready. [I'm going to] knock him out in 3 rounds.”

– via The Ariel Helwani Show, stating he has no specific game plan for Alexandre Pantoja but predicting he will knock him out within three rounds.

“I want to win early by knockout. When you finish the champ early, it leaves absolutely no talk, no speculations. I want to get the belt back and take my revenge. I have everything it takes to beat him.”

– via the UFC 323 Countdown, predicting a knockout victory in his title rematch against Merab Dvalishvili.

“2026 is going to be the biggest year of my life. I'm coming for that interim title, then I'll be making it undisputed title when I come and beat Ilia Topuria up. Then little posh boy [Arman]... I'll punch his head in as well”

– via the UFC, outlining his plans for 2026 to win both the interim and undisputed lightweight titles, and then fight Arman Tsarukyan.

“2026 is going to be the biggest year of my life. I'm coming for that interim title, then I'll be making it undisputed title when I come and beat Ilia Topuria up. Then little posh boy [Arman]... I'll punch his head in as well”

– via the UFC, outlining his plans for 2026 to win both the interim and undisputed lightweight titles, and then fight Arman Tsarukyan.

“I'll make him tired, I'll throw my axe kick and knock him out”

– via Daniel Cormier's YouTube Channel, predicting a knockout victory over Ilia Topuria.

“I’m pretty sure we’re both white, so I don’t know what the point of the white boy is. I definitely survive a minute [against Chimaev]. I have no plans going up to middleweight anytime soon, but if he wants to, then dude, I’m getting [him]”

– reacts to Chimaev's warning

“If you think that's fiery, wait until tomorrow night. Tomorrow night I take his head out”

– via FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA, sending a final warning to Islam Makhachev ahead of their fight.

“Let's go ! I can submit you both same night... Easy money”

– via Instagram, responding to Alex Pereira's challenge

“Josh Hokit, I want you next. I'm gonna kick your head like a soccer ball and force you to respect Brazil and our culture, you piece of sh*t”

– response to Josh Hokit callout via X

“I will show you guys who the best fighter in the world is. For my legacy, the second belt is important”

– on pursuing a second belt and the P4P spot, via UFC.

“I'm gonna break Islam Makhachev, take his pound for pound spot, and it's gonna be a great moment for my career and legacy”

– via UFC, on his ambitions against Islam Makhachev.

“Khabib Nurmagomedov has not done enough. I've told this to Khabib... I remember we had a really heated conversation between us because I don't put Khabib in front of me”

– via POUND 4 POUND PODCAST, saying that he is ahead of Khabib in the GOAT conversation.