‘Captain America’ may have quit the sport for Hollywood, but he’s not going too far away from the Octagon.

Q: After such a successful 14-year career, was it difficult to call it quits on a losing note?

Couture: “I kind of came to terms with it long before the actual fight in Toronto, and so I am definitely at peace with it.

I know there will be offers and people are going to try and tempt me back and I anticipate those things coming, but I think I’ll be able to take them in my stride and make the right choice.

I do feel the fans still want me to stay out there, but at some level I had to draw the line and say ‘enough is enough.’ It was a lot different the first time I retired. At that time, I wasn’t doing it on my terms.

I was doing it because I felt like I had to. I had so much going on, I just didn’t feel like myself. I wasn’t training well, for example.

In fact, I wasn’t doing anything well at the time.

So it was a lot different circumstances then. I’m doing everything I want now. And then some… and I just feel like it’s the right time.

So I’m kind of relieved with the way I feel, and how I have felt since I made the decision. I’m happy about it. I think it’s the perfect time for me to step down and not compete.”

Q: Do you have any advice for anyone who may have aspirations of becoming a pro fighter?

A: “Work hard, first and foremost and be dedicated. And remember you have to train the body and the mind, which is one seriously underrated skill. At Xtreme Couture, and particularly in my workouts, we focus a lot on visualization and training our mental skills.

It’s like every other skill; you have to condition it. The more you do it the easier it becomes and I think that guys don’t spend enough time developing those mental aspects and instead focus solely on physical skills. When I would visualize a fight, when I begin to tire I imagine that my opponent is destroyed and exhausted.

I know that if I’m going hard in my mind, then my opponent is ready to quit and that drives me to go even harder and faster.

“Also, you’ve got to get away from the mats. You need to do something where you’re still sweating but also giving yourself room to recover in the fresh air. I think it’s about resetting your mind as much as your body.”

Q: After being involved in some of the UFC’s biggest matches, did these mental skills help you keep your cool inside the Octagon?

A: “Well, I’ve never had anger issues with guys who I’ve won or lost against. I’ve always had an open mentality that there is no place I can’t go and try to learn.

I’ve been to Brock Lesnar’s camp and I enjoy training with Vitor [Belfort] despite our fighting trilogy. It’s not a personal thing. What’s important is that we’re all learning.”

Q: So will you miss the UFC, and the fans adoration for that matter?

A: “While the fans are amazing and I appreciate every single one of them, I can’t go anywhere without people taking a picture and it’s hard to relax. It’s a different world.

I never had to worry about back routes and security before. But I have so much going on in my life right now that I simply couldn’t go on, but I want be going far that’s for sure. I love the sport and I still feel like I have so much to offer in various capacities.”