Even though Darren Till is set to compete at middleweight for a third time at UFC Vegas 36, the star from Liverpool still has an interest in one day returning to welterweight to capture the title that alluded him in 2018.
At UFC Vegas 35, seventh-ranked 185-pounder Darren Till (18-3-1) will compete against fifth-ranked Derek Brunson (22-7) in the main event matchup of fighters closing in on title contention. Yet despite his position in striking range of a fight for middleweight gold, it seems the former welterweight still has designs on trying to capture the title he previously challenged for.
Darren Till has hopes for champ-champ status
“I could probably still make welterweight,” Till told “>UFC.com. “I know [Kamaru Usman] wants to fight me. He said he still wants to fight Till, and we’ve got a little bit of history. Cool guy, sound guy. I’m going to be the champion at middleweight, why can’t I go down for one last hurrah and see if I can grab that strap that I was meant to have.”
“The Gorilla” went unbeaten over his first six bouts in the Octagon as a welterweight. It culminated in a 2018 title fight against then-champion Tyron Woodley at UFC 228. Till came up short by submission on that fight, then was knocked out by Jorge Masvidal in the follow-up fight six months later. The losses, and difficult weight cuts to make 170-pounds, precipitated the 28-year-olds move up to middleweight. And Till admits cutting 15 fewer pounds has been a complete change of fighting lifestyle.
“It’s the lifestyle,” Till said about the differences in competing at middleweight. “It was more focused on weight than training a lot [at welterweight]. I think I just outgrew the [division]. Instead of the rigorous cuts, now I don’t even think about the weight cut. I don’t give it a second thought.”
Till has plans to win middleweight gold and be called the GOAT
Now, with a monumental opportunity in front of him on Saturday night, Till has big plans for his future. First, he wants to score an impressive win over Brunson, add another “clinic” victory later this year, which should then have him lined up for a title fight after. They’re grand designs all in the pursuit of being called the greatest fighter in the world.
“I want to fight twice {this year]. I want to put on two clinics. Then that’s it, the champs there for me, Till said. “I am the best fighter in the world. I know that. Deep down inside of me, I know that. … I want people to say, ‘See him there, Darren Till, see the things he’s done? Look back on it, he was one of the best ever.’”
UFC Vegas 36 takes place on September 4, inside Las Vegas’ UFC Apex. The event begins at 1:30 pm ET with preliminary action and is then followed by the main card at 4 pm ET. The entire event will air exclusively on streaming service ESPN+.
