A different \u201cEl Matador\u201d is coming.<\/p>\n
Topuria says they\u2019ve got it all wrong.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen the complaints, actually, I\u2019m way more motivated now because I don\u2019t have anymore fear around,\u201d Topuria told ESPN recently. \u201cI don\u2019t fear anymore that I\u2019m going to have to pay some bills or pay some person or whatever. For the first time, I\u2019m doing it because I really want to do it because if I didn\u2019t want to fight, I wouldn\u2019t fight. So this is the first time that I really want to fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s a scary thought considering what Topuria already accomplished while climbing the ladder \u2014 capturing UFC gold in two weight classes while flattening elite competition.<\/p>\n
Now, without the brutal Featherweight weight cuts or financial pressure hanging over him, \u201cEl Matador\u201d believes he\u2019s operating at an even higher level.<\/p>\n
Oddsmakers certainly agree.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is just weird,\u201d Topuria said. \u201cI don\u2019t like the fact that I\u2019m so favored. Everyone already knows that I\u2019m going to win \u2014 and there is no big expectation, like \u2018What\u2019s going to happen in the fight!?\u2019 Now they are trying to guess how quickly I will knock him out<\/a> \u2014 I\u2019ve never had that.\u201d<\/p>\n