--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was like 'You know what? I'm training…" description: "\"I was like 'You know what? I'm training with these champions. Guys like Georges St-Pierre, Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt... Let me give this MMA thing a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/stephen-thompson-5214_champions_i-was-like-you-know-what-i-m-training-wi_68478.jpg" --- # I was like 'You know what? I'm training with these… ![“I was like 'You know what? I'm training with these champions. Guys like Georges St-Pierre, Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt... Let me give this MMA thing a shot.'” quote by Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/stephen-thompson-5214_champions_i-was-like-you-know-what-i-m-training-wi_68478.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/stephen-thompson-5214_champions_i-was-like-you-know-what-i-m-training-wi_68478.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/stephen-thompson-5214_champions_i-was-like-you-know-what-i-m-training-wi_68478.jpg) > “I was like 'You know what? I'm training with these champions. Guys like Georges St-Pierre, Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt... Let me give this MMA thing a shot.'” [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker decides to train with elite MMA fighters, seeing an opportunity to apply his skills in a new sport. **In simple terms:** Embracing elite mentorship for growth. Key Takeaway Seek high-level mentors to accelerate learning. Themes learning mentorship cross‑disciplinary risk‑taking confidence Mood determined enthusiastic Type personal anecdote motivational When to use this quote - starting a new sport - career pivot - skill acquisition - personal challenge Key Concepts skill transfer role model influence training intensity Practical Applications - adopting elite training methods - leveraging champion expertise Questions to Reflect On - What qualities do champions bring to a novice? - How can cross‑disciplinary training reshape performance? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Champions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/champions/) [Mma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mma/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [I always give my best in training as if it was a Champions League final.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-zanetti/i-always-give-my-best-in-training-as-if-it-was-a-champions-league/) [Javier Zanetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-zanetti/) > [I know I'm the least technical guy in the sport. Most of the champions or guys at the top are real martial artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-lewis/i-know-i-m-the-least-technical-guy-in-the-sport-most-of-the-champions/) [Derrick Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-lewis/) > [My father created this whole MMA thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royce-gracie/my-father-created-this-whole-mma-thing/) [Royce Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/royce-gracie/) > [I don't know jack-diddly-squat about jiu-jitsu. And I know enough to say that a guillotine doesn't look too comfortable. But I also know boxing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/i-don-t-know-jack-diddly-squat-about-jiu-jitsu-and-i-know-enough-to/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [You know that when you fight a guy like Georges, there are going to be a lot of demands on your time and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-condit/you-know-that-when-you-fight-a-guy-like-georges-there-are-going-to-be/) [Carlos Condit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-condit/) > [I like Georges. I'm a fan of Georges St-Pierre. I appreciate everything he does, and how he does everything to win, and it meets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-diaz/i-like-georges-i-m-a-fan-of-georges-st-pierre-i-appreciate-everything/) [Nick Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-diaz/) > [I want to be like Georges St Pierre, working my way up from the ground and be the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-johnson/i-want-to-be-like-georges-st-pierre-working-my-way-up-from-the-ground/) [Anthony Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-johnson/) > [One of the reasons I don't trust the media is you can't have a double standard for guys you like and dislike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/one-of-the-reasons-i-don-t-trust-the-media-is-you-can-t-have-a-double/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [You see guys like Rajon Rondo, John Wall, Derrick Rose; these guys are fast, quick, explosive, can get up off the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jrue-holiday/you-see-guys-like-rajon-rondo-john-wall-derrick-rose-these-guys-are/) [Jrue Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jrue-holiday/) > [Guys like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, they'll take bad criticism in a good way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-payton/guys-like-kobe-bryant-lebron-james-kevin-garnett-they-ll-take-bad/) [Gary Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-payton/) > [“Guys are like purses,Cute, full of crap, and totally replaceable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-miller/guys-are-like-purses-cute-full-of-crap-and-totally-replaceable/) Lucy Miller > [I could sit down and give USADA my opinions on it, but I want to say they've done a great job. Guys like me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-masvidal/i-could-sit-down-and-give-usada-my-opinions-on-it-but-i-want-to-say/) [Jorge Masvidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-masvidal/) > [I think I look to guys more like a Klay Thompson, Gordon Hayward, for guys that can not only shoot the ball but can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-huerter/i-think-i-look-to-guys-more-like-a-klay-thompson-gordon-hayward-for/) [Kevin Huerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-huerter/) > [Guys are like roller-coasters¦everytime you recover from the last one theres another JERK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/guys-are-like-roller-coasters-everytime-you-recover-from-the-last-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like the nice guys. I like when they show the stories, the human element behind it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-bassett/i-like-the-nice-guys-i-like-when-they-show-the-stories-the-human/) [Angela Bassett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-bassett/) ## More by Stephen Thompson > [I understand it's part of the sport, part of the game to have people who like you and people who don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/i-understand-it-s-part-of-the-sport-part-of-the-game-to-have-people/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) > [Everybody asks me, 'Hey, what's your most memorable fight?' For me, it's definitely the Matt Brown fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/everybody-asks-me-hey-what-s-your-most-memorable-fight-for-me-it-s/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) > [To be honest with you, Conor McGregor at 170, I think he's just going to be thrown around like a little rag doll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/to-be-honest-with-you-conor-mcgregor-at-170-i-think-he-s-just-going/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) > [I know that pretty much everybody I face is going to wind up wanting to take me down eventually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/i-know-that-pretty-much-everybody-i-face-is-going-to-wind-up-wanting/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) > [I rage playing video games. I think that's the only time you will ever hear me say a cuss word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/i-rage-playing-video-games-i-think-that-s-the-only-time-you-will-ever/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) > [I learned a lot during the Matt Brown fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/i-learned-a-lot-during-the-matt-brown-fight/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) > [I'm a striker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/i-m-a-striker/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) > [In kickboxing, if I walked around at 185 pounds, I fought at 185 pounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/in-kickboxing-if-i-walked-around-at-185-pounds-i-fought-at-185-pounds/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) > [When you're out there in the octagon and you've got thousands of people, millions across the world, either cheering for you to win or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/when-you-re-out-there-in-the-octagon-and-you-ve-got-thousands-of/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) > [You gotta be ready in this game. Like when Michael Bisping knocked out Luke Rockhold. I thought... everybody thought that Luke Rockhold would go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/you-gotta-be-ready-in-this-game-like-when-michael-bisping-knocked-out/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) > [We kind of understand at this level of the game when you work your way up to the top there's a possibility you may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/we-kind-of-understand-at-this-level-of-the-game-when-you-work-your/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) > [Ben Askren, he's a tough boy. Golly, he's a tough boy. That's what wrestling does. When you wrestle your whole life, you got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/ben-askren-he-s-a-tough-boy-golly-he-s-a-tough-boy-that-s-what/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) > [People always ask me what will happen if I lose, and I never really thought about it until they asked me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/people-always-ask-me-what-will-happen-if-i-lose-and-i-never-really/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) > [As a fighter my goal is not to get hit and frustrate my opponent. Once I get you frustrated then I got you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/as-a-fighter-my-goal-is-not-to-get-hit-and-frustrate-my-opponent-once/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) > [Whenever I fight, whenever you see me fight, I work a lot off of angles, using my kicks a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/whenever-i-fight-whenever-you-see-me-fight-i-work-a-lot-off-of-angles/) [Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) [Explore all 102 Stephen Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/) ## More Champions quotes > [United was my first European club. We won two titles and almost won the Champions League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-hernandez/united-was-my-first-european-club-we-won-two-titles-and-almost-won/) [Javier Hernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-hernandez/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [Winners are born, Champions are made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-falcon-scott/winners-are-born-champions-are-made/) [Robert Falcon Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-falcon-scott/) > [Champions are made from something they have deep inside of them-a desire, a dream, a vison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/champions-are-made-from-something-they-have-deep-inside-of-them-a/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [In England you probably have too many cups with the Champions League as it is now. You have the FA Cup and another cup;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianluca-vialli/in-england-you-probably-have-too-many-cups-with-the-champions-league/) [Gianluca Vialli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianluca-vialli/) > [There are a lot of champions out there, a lot of great guys, but I think that the way I compete and my fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-pettis/there-are-a-lot-of-champions-out-there-a-lot-of-great-guys-but-i/) [Anthony Pettis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-pettis/) > [When champions fail, they get back up and try again. They don't let failure discourage them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-clark/when-champions-fail-they-get-back-up-and-try-again-they-don-t-let/) Mary Ellen Clark > [If you win the Champions League, you become known across the globe, but the World Cup has always thrown up new stars and developments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jupp-heynckes/if-you-win-the-champions-league-you-become-known-across-the-globe-but/) [Jupp Heynckes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jupp-heynckes/) > [Champions learn from their - I'm not going to say failures - but they learn from the losses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-alcaraz/champions-learn-from-their-i-m-not-going-to-say-failures-but-they/) [Carlos Alcaraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-alcaraz/) > [If Neymar doesn't leave PSG, he will never win anything important. Especially the Champions League, which is the most important competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/if-neymar-doesn-t-leave-psg-he-will-never-win-anything-important/) [Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/) > [We all know that the Champions League is the most important competition in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isco/we-all-know-that-the-champions-league-is-the-most-important/) [Isco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isco/) > [If you look at champions, they came from nothing. That's where they get their drive and determination and hunger. They know they have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-jr/if-you-look-at-champions-they-came-from-nothing-that-s-where-they-get/) [Chris Eubank Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-jr/) > [In seventh grade, with some vague sense that I wanted to be a writer, I crouched in the junior high school library stacks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/in-seventh-grade-with-some-vague-sense-that-i-wanted-to-be-a-writer-i/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [In difficult moments, champions come through, and not by listening to what is being said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/in-difficult-moments-champions-come-through-and-not-by-listening-to/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [When I was a child, I had it in my head to play in the Champions League and win it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-moura/when-i-was-a-child-i-had-it-in-my-head-to-play-in-the-champions/) [Lucas Moura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-moura/) [Browse all 571 Champions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/champions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was like 'You know what? 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