Till details fight plans after defeating Woodley

Darren Till failed to make the contract weight in two of his last four fights. He’s a middleweight; the sole way he can make welterweight is by dangerous, extreme weight-cutting. And he knows it; during a recent media scrum at an open workout at the UFC Performance Institute, Till talked about what happens after he challenges welterweight champion Tyron Woodley at UFC 228 on Saturday.

Rather than go straight to a title shot, he says he wants to fight for it.

When I take that belt, I want to defend that belt and then I want to go up to middleweight, but that doesn’t mean that I want to go up and challenge the champion,” said Till, as transcribed by Peter Carroll for MMA Fighting. “I would like to earn my stripes in that division too. I feel there are a lot of good guys in that division.

“I see a lot of guys and they’re chasing money fights. They’re winning titles and they’re calling either the higher or the lower category or they’re calling for that super fight.”

There’s one guy that I wouldn’t like to fight, Yoel Romero. I’m glad he’s gone up, he’s a f***in’ beast, said Till laughing.

If I did go to middleweight in the UFC and they offered me the title I’m not going to say no. But I’m saying I’d love to earn my stripes, fight the top five, top ten. For me, going up to middleweight, I’m not focusing on the belt because I know I’m the best; I know I’ll win that belt as well.

I just want to win this belt. I want to defend it; I just want to be able to say that I’ve defended it. You could be looking at two or three fights at welterweight and then that’s me done. I’m 25, I’m not putting my body through this for much longer.”