"People always hate on confident people" - Top UFC flyweight feels Ilia Topuria "is better than people think"

Ilia Topuria's mindset heading into UFC 298 has turned off a lot of fans but attracted the attention of others.

Ahead of the biggest fight of Topuria's career with featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, many have compared the rising star to the similar career path of Conor McGregor. Of those making the comparison, Daniel Cormier believes the Spaniard can imitate the Irishman's success, triggering mixed reactions from fans.

On his YouTube channel, Cormier claimed McGregor's ability to captivate an audience derived from his originality, and Topuria resembles a lot of his personality.

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Of those commenting on MMA Fans Instagram post on Cormier's comments, no. 2 ranked flyweight contender Amir Albazi chimed in, saying:

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"People always hate on confident people. Ilia is better than people think and volk is a great test"

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Amir Albazi reacting to Daniel Cormier's comment on Ilia Topuria [via @mmafighting on Instagram]

Currently out with a neck injury, Albazi was scheduled to headline UFC Mexico City one week after UFC 298 on Feb. 24 against Brandon Moreno before his withdrawal.

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Ilia Topuria suggests Alexander Volkanovski is "easier" fight than Josh Emmett

Ahead of his first UFC championship opportunity, Ilia Topuria's confidence could not be higher against longtime champion Alexander Volkanovski.

Conducting an interview with Michael Bisping on the Hall of Famer's YouTube channel, Topuria claims that Volkanovski is an easier matchup than his last fight due to the champion having less finishing capability.

Topuria said:

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"[Volkanovski] is not a powerful guy. He didn't knock out his opponents. He has a lot of volume, [but] he didn't have submissions on the ground. It's easier to fight someone like him because you go out there and he has great cardio but you can make more mistakes. It's not like with Josh Emmett. If the guy connects with the right hand he can put you to sleep."

Though some have suggested the challenger is attempting to play mind games with Volkanovski, Topuria has displayed the same level of confidence in his abilities against every opponent in the UFC. At 14-0, the Georgia native has yet to be proven wrong but enters the UFC 298 main event as a slight underdog.

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