Darren Till was undefeated after 18 fights, heading into a title fight vs. the welterweight champion Tyron Woodley at UFC 228 in 2018.
Tyron was the better man. I’m gutted. I’ll be back stronger, said Till after losing. It just really, really hurts.
Sean O’Malley was undefeated after twelve fights, heading into a fight vs. Marlon Vera, in the co-main event of UFC 252 earlier this month.
Let’s look at his career in five years, and let’s look at mine. I’m going to be f***ing world champ, and he’s going to be a f***ing journeyman,” said O’Malley after the loss. “He gets lucky and beats me and jumps up like he won the f***ing lottery. That just shows what kind of a (expletive) he was.
Till appeared recently on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast, and offered “Sugar” some needed advice.
You always have to give credit, explained Till, as transcribed by Mike Heck for MMA Fighting. I was saying something to someone before about Sean O’Malley with ‘Chito’ Vera, I really like Sean and I think he’s gonna be good, but you got beat, man. Take your loss, have respect, you will be a champion yet in the future, but don’t start calling the guy who just beat you a journeyman.
I’m not throwing disrespect at him. I think he’s a good fighter, but there’s two things that stuck out in my mind. One, is the way that he lost and it just makes me think that I fought three complete rounds with a torn MCL. My knees are f***ed. I know what I had to fight for those three rounds. I couldn’t use what I’m best at. I’m a master of movement and I couldn’t do it. I was there. There was no way I was going. Even when Rob took me down, I was in so much pain and I was like, ‘Get back up, get back up, get back up.’
Number two, I just think the way he’s handling it after the fight, ‘Oh, he’s a journeyman, I’m gonna be a champion,’ mate, just take the loss. Give the respect and you’ll be a champion. Just forget all of that.
The world’s best have all lost. Muhammad Ali, I even believe Floyd Mayweather lost, too, even though he is one of a kind. We all lost. I am one of the world’s best and we all lose. Take your loss, go back, come back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_fw0-9r1aM&feature=youtu.be
Till fights Jack Hermansson in the main event of UFC on ESPN+ 44 on December 5.
I want to be more strategic for this fight, said Till. I want to nullify what he’s good at and I’m gonna fight with what I’m good at. Whatever, mate, I’m gonna knock him out in the first round.
What do you think UG? Does losing with grace make you a bigger fan?
