Athlete

A lot of people think they need the best training partners, the best gym. I started with Vans, Jack in the Box, and a dream, and now I'm here. You just need to have that work ethic, focus, and dedication.

I'm human, and we all make mistakes. But just because you're knocked down, you don't have to stay down. Get up and fight.

I think I'm pretty marketable when it comes to marketing fighters 'cause I've met a lot of 'em, and they're not that interesting. They don't do too many things, or their days are not like my days.

I've proven I can hang in there, go through adversity, and pull tricks out of the bag.

The Brian Ortega Foundation will cater to all people who have all kinds of problems.

All glory to God. I'm nothing.

There's a lot of times when I shouldn't have been here. I go, 'Man, I'm blessed.' I've had people shoot at me and had all kinds of stuff happen, and somehow I'm still here, and other people are not.

I keep training hard, keep working out, keep looking at my fights, and I wonder, 'If I was to fight me, how would I beat me?' It's like having a boat with a bunch of holes. I'm trying to patch up all the holes. If I was to fight myself, I'd take advantage of certain things. I've got to know my opponent is thinking the same thing.

Not too many people present a good ground game from the bottom. They survive a little bit, and it's kind of boring. But not too many people are attacking from the bottom, hurting with elbows. They don't bring that kind of game because it takes a long time to develop.

For me, I'm just me. That's what I realized the best thing to be is.

I believe we all have a responsibility to try to help other people in this world. To me, my ability to help and to do good for others will only increase if I'm more known and get to that really super elite level. That would be the huge benefit for me. It would put me in a position where I could just help more people.

Every time, you get hit in the face, you have to fight.

Sometimes, the best response is no response.

For me, I love doing what is said can't be done.

I get this weird feeling that there's bigger things to do still, and I can't wait to figure it out.

I dropped out or got kicked out of four high schools.

I've always wanted better for myself; I just didn't know what route I was going to take.

When I go in the Octagon, it's no big deal. Just gonna go fight. Majority of the people? 'Dude, I'm scared to even walk through there.' Everything's a matter of perspective.

Pretty much, I was a hometown fighter, and everyone was pulling for me. Now I'm a hometown fighter again. It's a lot of pressure because you don't want to let people down. They're yelling your name and chanting for you.

What's that song? It says, 'Everything that you do will come back to you in your sweet time?' That's why I still don't relax. Even my coach gets mad at me sometimes. He's like, 'Come on, man - relax.' I go, 'Nah.' I'm always good.