10 great motivational quotes from MMA fighters
As one of the fastest-rising sports in the world right now, the athletes that sit at the top of the MMA mountain are becoming more and more popular and well-known across the planet. Part of their appeal has to do with their skills inside the cage and ring, but part of it also has to do with their fascinating, sometimes outlandish personalities.
Since the rise of MMA into the mainstream around 15 years ago, professional fighters have become some of the most quotable athletes in the world. As a sport that relies heavily on “trash talk” obviously some of those quotes don’t mean a lot – but sometimes quotes from top MMA fighters can be surprisingly motivational.
Here are 10 of the best motivational quotes from MMA fighters.
#1 Georges St-Pierre
Canadian superstar Georges St-Pierre is commonly recognised as perhaps the finest MMA fighter to ever participate in the sport, and it was his relentless pursuit of brilliance that got him to the top. This quote sums up his insane drive for greatness perfectly.
“There is a difference between a fighter and a martial artist. A fighter is training for a purpose: He has a fight. I'm a martial artist. I don't train for a fight. I train for myself. I'm training all the time. My goal is perfection. But I will never reach perfection.”
#2 Jon Jones
Current UFC Light-Heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones is one of the most controversial figures in the sport’s history, equally well-known for a laundry list of violations including positive drug tests as he is for his incredible exploits inside the Octagon. But even he can sound motivational, as this quote about his transgressions proves.
“If you do something bad, it doesn't mean you're a bad person. It means you had bad judgment.”
#3 BJ Penn
Former UFC Lightweight and Welterweight champion BJ Penn probably should’ve retired years ago; his body is simply too broken down to continue fighting at the elite level now. But then Penn was never a fighter who relied solely on his athleticism, and this quote would be motivational for any non-natural athlete in a sport.
“It's not a certain technique, it's not a skill, it's all in your mind, it's how far you want to go.”