Liz Carmouche

“I always needed a physical outlet, this is always who I've been.”

“They test NFL players for brain trauma. They track them for the life of their career and even outside of their career. So I've done all the MRIs and testing with them.”

“My mom raised me to be an independent woman, and if there is anything I want in life, to go after it. And that nobody could hold me back. The only person that could do that was myself. That's the core of who I am and she ingrained that in me at a really young age, so I've been an independent, strong person my whole life.”

“I've done judo, I've done Greco, I've done boxing, I've done catch wrestling.”

“I don't think anyone should try to put themselves in a situation or push themselves out of the zone that they don't feel comfortable and safe in.”

“I've definitely been in elements of grappling where I'm tied up and in a weird position and my mouth and my nose are covered and I can't breathe. You still have to be able to escape. The last thing you want to do is tap in that scenario when you have an opportunity to escape.”

“I'm not satisfied with walking away from something and letting it beat me. That's not my spirit.”

“I'm constantly pushing myself to evolve and be a better person and the best that I can be and that pushes me in my fighting career and personal life.”

“I'm that person, if I'm not good at it, that means I have to go back and master it.”

“There's a feeling of invincibility that comes with being young, with being fit and in the prime of your life. But I learned when I was in the Marines just like I've learned as a UFC fighter that no one is invincible, and that you have to project yourself at all times.”

“I'm not going to say things to make a point, I let my actions do so.”

“I want to fight more often than just once or twice a year.”

“Women always have to work harder to prove themselves.”

“I was always a gym rat.”

“I didn't come from a combat sports background where I had a real definitive background in anything to fall back onto.”

“It's great that now people can be accepted and the LGBT community can open up and share with the people where they come from.”

“I've fought other women where I've gone to move them and thought, 'Oh, she's not budging.' I didn't experience that with Ronda.”

“Hey look, I respect Ronda. She's done so much for the sport of women's MMA. I'm never going to take anything away from her.”

“If you have a dream, put everything you have and follow it because that's the only way you'll have success in your life.”

“I was able to come out to my family, but other than that I couldn't come out to co-workers or to friends because of what that would mean for my military life and my career. That made my life difficult, because I felt like I was constantly conflicted and at war with myself every day that I faced people.”