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VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Jeff Hughes isn’t necessarily an underdog heading into Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 16 event, but he knows his opponent is the one who owns the edge in starpower.

Oddsmakers actually have the fight with Hughes (10-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) and Todd Duffee (9-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) as more or less dead even, but the pre-fight attention is very much in Duffee’s favor, with fans curious to see what the mercurial heavyweight will bring to the cage after four years on the sidelines.

“I feel like people are counting me out,” Hughes told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at a media day in support of Saturday’s event. “Things didn’t go my way the first fight in the UFC, but that happens. That’s part of the fight game. You don’t always have the best night, so I think they’re already thinking I’m going to be a fast knockout, and it’s just not the case.”

Hughes made his UFC debut in March, suffering a split-decision loss to Maurice Greene. Duffee will offer a different kind of test, not owning nearly the same type of reach as “The Crochet Boss,” but certainly excelling in the power department.

But what might Duffee have changed in his four years on the sidelines? Hughes said he knows it could be quite a bit, which is why he’ll approach the bout without too many expectations, other than that he expects a quick start.

“You just go out there and you fight your fight,” Hughes said. “There’s not a whole lot of film on him anymore, and I’m sure things have changed in the last four years, so I just go out there and fight my gameplan.

“I’m sure he’s going to have cage rust. Everybody does if you don’t fight for so long. But, he comes out fast in every fight, so I don’t expect that to change. I’m just going to go out there and feel it out.”

Ten of Duffee’s 12 career bouts have ended in the first round, so Hughes’ assumption seems safe. And if he can withstand that initial barrage, Hughes believes he can prove his doubters wrong.

Or maybe more importantly, he can prove his supporters correct, including UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic, who trains with Hughes at Ohio’s Strong Style MMA.

“(Miocic) just said, ‘Go out there and fight your fight. You don’t realize how good you are,” Hughes said. “Those are awesome words from the baddest man on the planet. I’ve trained with him so much, hard training sessions and just hours and hours getting him ready. He gets me ready, and he’s great to have in the camp.”