A. A lot of times fighters get not only physically tired, but mentally exhausted. It’s like a chess match — you’re thinking of offense and defense at the same time. It’s almost exhausting to think about it. After a while you just go, I’ll move my pawn. A lot of times in fights people get exhausted and they’re just sick of trying to focus on it.

How many fights have you seen in the last round they’re just standing in front of each other and throwing big wide shots? They’ve lost all focus and are just going forward with no game plan or technique. That’s the hardest thing about fighting, staying focused and not just saying forget it and going at it.

Q. When you landed the kick, did it cross your mind that there must be permanent damage here?

A. No. I know that sounds bad, but in a fight your mind-set is just one way until it’s over. If it was up to her, she’d be doing that to me. We’re in a battle for survival. Those thoughts don’t cross my mind until the fight’s over.

Q. How much of your preparation was specifically tailored to Ronda Rousey’s game?

A. Ronda’s not a one-dimensional fighter. She has the clinch game, she goes for a lot of hip tosses, she goes for trips, she pushes you on the cage, she’s very aggressive on the ground, she goes for arm bars, not just from one position but from many positions. So our entire training camp every day was about it.

But we also wanted to excel at the things I do well. Could I go out and survive? Yes. But if I just survive, if I defend everything she comes with, I’m not going to get a victory. For a victory against someone so dominant, you have to make it very decisive. Our whole thing was to be careful of what she does but not to be afraid of doing what we want to do.

Q. When you watched Rousey’s previous fights, did you think, ‘Oh my gosh, I can conquer this,’ or were you a little bit frightened?