TUF: Heavy Hitters fighter Maurice Greene continues his inside look at competing on the 28th season of The Ultimate Fighter.
My cigarettes came out this week.
I'm not exactly proud of my smoking, but as I've said a million times on here, I came on The Ultimate Fighter to win a UFC contract and be myself. And right now I'm a smoker.
I was much heavier before and used cigarettes as a way to drop weight. I lost about a hundred pounds, but the smoking has stayed since Day 1 of my MMA career.
Now, as a fighter, I don't believe the smoking helps me. It calms me down and it's something that I enjoy, but I'm not delusional to think that it helps me once I'm in the Octagon. But I also firmly believe they aren't holding me back right now. Ask any of my coaches or teammates; I'm always in great shape and always ready to go three rounds. Heck, I went five full rounds for the LFA Heavyweight Championship in April, and I would've fought another five later that night if I could.
I plan to make my way to a UFC championship. I realize that I'm going to have to put the cigarettes down to get there. But quite honestly I'm not ready. They haven't affected me in a negative way, and unfortunately I just enjoy smoking. I can't quit something that I enjoy that much.
Now, unlike a few of my housemates who were smoking behind the scenes once I broke the ice, I'm not afraid to be myself on camera. I'm ready for the social media onslaught, and I really don't care.
At the end of the day, I'm just happy that people are paying attention.
