"I see myself as the favourite in this fight (against Yoshihiro Akiyama) and if I don't win, then I'll be very disappointed.

"I've been a proud ambassador of UK MMA, I've worked hard and I've helped grow the sport to where it is. I haven't disappeared off to America, like some Mohican wearing people (Dan Hardy) and lived there and trained there, but then come back here and pretend I'm English.

"My roots are here in England and I stay here and I train here and I'm proud to be English. You know, I don't go training in America because the trainings better, but then come here and try and get all the UK fans on my side. I'm English and this is where I'm from and this is where I train".

"I'd love to fight Chael Sonnen. He's looking phenomenal. ...I think personally he's a bit of a tool to be honest. He's awesome at promoting a fight, but he's delusional and he's so far up his own arse it's unbelievable".

"I think if I beat Akiyama well, I think either a rematch with Wanderlei (Silva) or Chael Sonnen or (Nate) Marquardt or whoever the top guys are in line for the title - I want to fight one of them contenders and then hopefully get a shot".