You used to be a maths teacher. Now you’re one of the UFC’s most prized fighters. How?
Ha ha! It’s a slightly unusual path, right? I’d been an athlete my whole life and wanted to play American Football, but I wasn’t good enough. I started getting into martial arts, but only as a hobby while I went into teaching after college. Then just as the teaching started, my fighting career snowballed.

Did your students treat you with more respect once they found out what you were getting up to outside the classroom?
They all knew I was a fighter from the start. It’s kind of hard to keep it a secret when you’re coming into school with bruises, black eyes and broken ankles. They were pretty scared of me. Some of them were convinced I was partially psychotic! I had a “unique” way of handling discipline problems at school…

You’re nicknamed “Ace” [as in Ace Ventura] thanks to your resemblance to Jim Carrey. Is that a fair comparison?
Well, he’s not the toughest actor, so thanks for reminding me! I believe that people should never give themselves their own nicknames, so you have to go with the one that sticks. But it’d be way better to be known as “The Crusher”! I once spent a whole night in a Las Vegas casino with everyone convinced I was Jim. That was a fun night.

You take on Vitor Belfort at UFC 103 on Saturday. How’s the training been?
I start really stepping up the training about eight weeks before a fight. I usually get into the gym at about 11am. I also do three miles of road running and some hill sprints before I grapple for a little while. I then go back in the evening with a boxing or kick-boxing coach. In between the two sessions, I watch movies. That’s a typical day for me. And as long as I come out against Belfort and I execute, I’ll be good to go.

There’s been rumours of you and our Brit UFC star Michael Bisping fighting. Up for it?
I’ve never heard that. Maybe Bisping’s been talking crap about me behind my back! Nah, I’m only joking. We’ve always liked each other, but I can’t see us fighting. He’s at 185lb and I’m struggling to come in under 205lb. It wouldn’t make sense.

UFC 103 is live on ESPN, Sunday from 2am.