After a couple of fights in the UFC that didn’t go his way, Connor Matthews knew he had to be ready for everything. Even though he expected a call for a fight with plenty of notice, he knew whatever came was what he was going to take.
“I got the notice like 22 days out from the fight. So whatever the date that was, I think it was like a Thursday or something like that,” Matthews said. “I didn’t expect it short notice for me, but when the boss calls, you got to answer.”
Of course like any other fighter, Matthews would have liked his full training camp. However, he does recognize that there are benefits to a slightly shorter one and it may have him in the perfect place for Saturday.
“I’m feeling healthy and feeling ready. So I was like, yeah, let’s do it. Three weeks is definitely enough time for me to make weight,” he said. “Everybody wants to have a full on camp if you can get it. But, you know, I’m a professional fighter. So I’m ready to fight at all times. I always stay healthy. I’m staying ready. Sometimes you’ll have a full fight camp and you get hurt in the fight camp, and that’ll ruin things.”
The opportunity this weekend comes against UFC newcomer Matheus Camilo. While the hype is on Camilo, Matthews feels like he knows the soft spot in his armor.
“I think, you know, looking at his record, everybody he’s fought, it seems like anybody who’s kind of a challenging record, it seems like it goes to decision. He’s not a big finisher. So, you know, that’s kind of, you know, that’s kind of good for me. I feel like he seems like he gases out a little bit. He gets tired,” Matthews explained. “I feel comfortable on my feet, and I feel like he’s gonna gas. I feel like I have a really good gas tank and I’m just gonna bring it to him. I feel like I have a good chance of making this guy get tired and then picking him apart.”
You can catch his fight with Camilo as part of the ESPN+ prelims of UFC Vegas 106. That portion of the card begins at 4pm EST.
You can also check out the entire audio of this interview on the latest edition of the Top Turtle MMA Podcast. The interview airs at 38:03.
