Darren Till gives the most honest answer of the year
Darren Til: “I’m not going to sit here and bull$#!@ anyone. I’m not going to bull$#!@ myself, and I’m certainly not going to bull$#!@ you. So give it to Stephen.”
Mixed martial arts may be as real as it gets, but a lot of fighters are not, with the cameras on, or while posting on the social network. Trash talk and braggadocio runneth over, as a rule. Thus it’s an endearing, even heroic change of pace when a fighter speaks with complete honesty.
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At UFC Fight Night 130 on Sunday, Darren Till narrowly defeated #1 contender Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson in front of a hometown crowd; the pair showed the utmost respect for each other’s ability to end things in a moment. Afterward, ‘The Gorilla’ was asked about a title shot.
I couldn’t care less, replied Till, as transcribed by Ryan Harkness for MMA Mania. I think Stephen deserves a go at the interim more than myself. I know I just beat him in a close fight, but give it to Stephen. He made weight and he’s still number one and beat more guys than me, so give it to him. I’m a realist, I’m not going to sit here and bulls*** anyone. I’m not going to bulls*** myself, and I’m certainly not going to bulls*** you. So give it to Stephen. I’m just going to go and train.
I missed weight, so I don’t feel I deserve a title shot anyway. I missed weight. So there you go, right away. I don’t deserve it. I feel like Stephen deserves it. Whoever wins out of the interim, maybe Stephen or Usman. They deserve it more.
I still want to beat them all in the division. I want to come back and put that weight thing behind me. … I’m ashamed. I am a professional, and I’m a big guy for the weight, and I’ve got to get it more under control. I’ve made weight before. I’ve just got to get it more under control now. Adversity, good or bad, I’ll take it.
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