“There’s way more to this story than you all know. This was my wife, kids and family fighting here with me. You all know the person I am and I’m not sorry for this. It was deserved and asked for. Ask Mike and he will agree. I’m glad Mike’s OK and nobody got hurt. You can’t f**k with someone’s family and expect sh*t to be cordial”

– via Instagram Stories, doubling down on his family's involvement in the BKFC KnuckleMania VI brawl

“I said something to his son, disrespected his son or whatever, because he pissed me off. Eddie was doing what a dad should do, and he wasn't really trying to get me on the ground”

– via the OverDogs Podcast, offering a surprisingly candid admission about the origins of his brawl with Eddie Alvarez's family at BKFC KnuckleMania VI

“How am I afraid of Islam if I fought him on short notice at 22 [years of age]... I have been preparing for six years for that [rematch]. How can I be afraid? Even if I lose, I would show a good fight, and make money, and make my name bigger”

– via One Night with Steiny, defending himself against accusations that he "ducked" his title fight against Islam Makhachev.

“I moved from Sweden to Abu Dhabi, that’s why it was harder for me to train. I didn’t have a good team around me, just some friends—that’s why that fight was difficult for me”

– via MTGYM23 (January 17, 2026), reflecting on the logistical hurdles of his 2023 majority decision win over Kamaru Usman.

“I didn't lose to Morales because he was taller than me. I just got caught, and that's that... From Thursday until Saturday at 5 PM, I didn't even know if I had a fight. I'll leave it at that.”

– via The BradyBagz Show (January 13, 2026), breaking his silence on the behind the scenes turmoil surrounding his UFC 322 knockout loss to Michael Morales.