--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a purist, and I'm more a fighter than…" description: "\"I'm a purist, and I'm more a fighter than an athlete.\" — B. J. Penn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/b-j-penn-6206_athlete_i-m-a-purist-and-i-m-more-a-fighter-than_865666.png" --- # I'm a purist, and I'm more a fighter than an athlete. ![“I'm a purist, and I'm more a fighter than an athlete.” quote by B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/b-j-penn-6206_athlete_i-m-a-purist-and-i-m-more-a-fighter-than_865666.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/b-j-penn-6206_athlete_i-m-a-purist-and-i-m-more-a-fighter-than_865666.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/b-j-penn-6206_athlete_i-m-a-purist-and-i-m-more-a-fighter-than_865666.png) > “I'm a purist, and I'm more a fighter than an athlete.” [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He identifies more with fighting spirit than athleticism, emphasizing a purist approach to combat. **In simple terms:** He sees himself as a fighter, not just an athlete. Key Takeaway Focus on the mindset of a fighter. Themes combat identity purism Mood determined intense Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - training camps - competition prep - personal branding - self‑discipline Key Concepts martial arts psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does this identity shape your training? - What are the limits of a purist approach? A Different Perspective A pure fighting mindset may neglect broader athletic benefits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Fighter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter/) [Fighter Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter-athlete-898338/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Purist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purist-898339/) [Purist Fighter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purist-fighter-898337/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes the fighter or an athlete feels they're valued a certain price, and sometimes we don't feel that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-coker/sometimes-the-fighter-or-an-athlete-feels-they-re-valued-a-certain/) [Scott Coker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-coker/) > [I'd rather be an athlete than a fighter, an athlete is going to go there and figure out the ways to win, see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-dillashaw/i-d-rather-be-an-athlete-than-a-fighter-an-athlete-is-going-to-go/) [T.J. Dillashaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-dillashaw/) > [I'm training at Alliance because they encourage me, and they motivate me, and they try to build on my uniqueness as a fighter, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-zingano/i-m-training-at-alliance-because-they-encourage-me-and-they-motivate/) [Cat Zingano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-zingano/) > [I realized that if you want to be a fighter, you have to become an athlete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-vera/i-realized-that-if-you-want-to-be-a-fighter-you-have-to-become-an/) [Marlon Vera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-vera/) > [I was a purist bore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-parkinson/i-was-a-purist-bore/) [Michael Parkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-parkinson/) > [I am no one to be a purist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-patton/i-am-no-one-to-be-a-purist/) [Mike Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-patton/) > [Paul was very much a purist, the real car guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-walker/paul-was-very-much-a-purist-the-real-car-guy/) [Cody Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-walker/) > [I'm just not a purist. You set goals and you have to work with everyone to figure out how to get what you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-peters/i-m-just-not-a-purist-you-set-goals-and-you-have-to-work-with/) [Scott Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-peters/) > [I'm not a purist. I'm not impure enough to be a purist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-antin/i-m-not-a-purist-i-m-not-impure-enough-to-be-a-purist/) [Eleanor Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-antin/) > [I'm a GN'R purist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-real/i-m-a-gn-r-purist/) [B-Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-real/) > [A 'Roc-A-Fella purist' is me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-dash/a-roc-a-fella-purist-is-me/) [Damon Dash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-dash/) > [In my head, I'm a purist that doesn't require anything but a group of good friends and a bottle of wine. In reality, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-levy/in-my-head-i-m-a-purist-that-doesn-t-require-anything-but-a-group-of/) [Dan Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-levy/) > [I'm a purist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/i-m-a-purist/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [I'm an unpure purist, something like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/i-m-an-unpure-purist-something-like-that/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [The world is full of vulgar Purists, who bring discredit on all selection by the silliness of their choice; and this the more, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-world-is-full-of-vulgar-purists-who-bring-discredit-on-all/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## More by B. J. Penn > [I don't want any freebie fights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/i-don-t-want-any-freebie-fights/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [It isn't always the funnest feeling, sparring three days a week, getting punched in the face at 38 years old, it might not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/it-isn-t-always-the-funnest-feeling-sparring-three-days-a-week/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [I got a wonderful life back in Hawaii.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/i-got-a-wonderful-life-back-in-hawaii/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [We see fighters fight their whole career and never get a title shot. It doesn't matter if they rack up 10 wins if people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/we-see-fighters-fight-their-whole-career-and-never-get-a-title-shot/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [Being the champ is fake, all of that is all fake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/being-the-champ-is-fake-all-of-that-is-all-fake/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [I want to get one more world title. Three titles at three weight classes, and without a doubt 145 is my best option.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/i-want-to-get-one-more-world-title-three-titles-at-three-weight/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [I thought I would go win 100 in a row with 100 knockouts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/i-thought-i-would-go-win-100-in-a-row-with-100-knockouts/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [Fighting, to me, has always been something different than what everybody's else opinion is. I've never believed what everybody else has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/fighting-to-me-has-always-been-something-different-than-what/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [My greatest moment in my whole career is when I became the first non-Brazilian to win the Brazilian jiu-jitsu world championship. That was my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/my-greatest-moment-in-my-whole-career-is-when-i-became-the-first-non/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [Jiu jitsu is a great art for self-defense. But jiu jitsu alone won't get you to a world championship in the UFC or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/jiu-jitsu-is-a-great-art-for-self-defense-but-jiu-jitsu-alone-won-t/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [You look at somebody like Frankie Edgar and you think, 'oh, that little guy,' this and that. But these guys, they want it. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/you-look-at-somebody-like-frankie-edgar-and-you-think-oh-that-little/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [It does blow me away, though, when I see Werdum just got the belt at 37 and then you see Mark Hunt still fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/it-does-blow-me-away-though-when-i-see-werdum-just-got-the-belt-at-37/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [I don't know where that thought came from and I don't know why I had that thought, but I thought I was the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/i-don-t-know-where-that-thought-came-from-and-i-don-t-know-why-i-had/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [I'd like to fight welterweight and lightweight at the same time if I could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/i-d-like-to-fight-welterweight-and-lightweight-at-the-same-time-if-i/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [My best moment in the UFC, I guess now that I look back, I guess my biggest accomplishment is the two belts in two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/my-best-moment-in-the-ufc-i-guess-now-that-i-look-back-i-guess-my/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) [Explore all 99 B. J. Penn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) ## More Athlete quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [I have no physical genius about me. 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Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) [Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a purist, and I'm more a fighter than an athlete.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "B. J. 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