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Entering UFC 273 on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida, a proud competitor found himself doubted in a way he never had been over the course of a decade-long, highly successful professional career. Despite taking on an opponent with only four Ultimate Fighting Championship bouts to his name, he found himself a nearly 5-to-1 underdog in some sportsbooks. When he fought for the welterweight title against the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world in 2021, the odds against him were only half as long.