Following his untimely exit from the UFC, 30-year-old Darren Till has found himself to be a hot topic of debate in the MMA community. Once touted as a future champ and a possible superstar of the likes of Conor McGregor, the Englishman experienced a rather disappointing downward spiral in terms of form and marketability. Having lost five of his last six fights, Till now finds himself outside the UFC and looking at options other than his usual bread and butter of Mixed Martial Arts.
Despite the unfortunate turn his career took, the former contender at least has time by his side. Having turned 30 last December, many believe Till can still make a turnaround and achieve his true potential as a fighter. This seems to be an idea that he finds to be true as well. Speaking to MMA journalist Chamatkar Sandhu, the scouser expressed similar sentiments about his future and revealed how Conor McGregor’s approach to the fight game also played a part in his decisions for the future.
Darren Till opens up on UFC exit and Conor McGregor’s influence
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Conversing with Sandhu, Till opened up about a crucial aspect of his decision to move away from the promotion and try his hands at different sports. Stating that it was not just the mental and physical demands, he claimed it was also the fact that he could make much more financially outside the UFC that pushed him to the decision.
“It’s physical, mental, financial. What does that mean? I can make an absolute sh*t brick ton of money in two years.” he explained.
For Till, it boiled down to his opinion of other combat sports and how they didn’t compare to MMA in terms of the demands on the body. Dubbing boxing and other sports as “half a fight“, he laid out McGregor’s boxing bout with Floyd Mayweather as an example.
” …Conor McGregor said it famously against Mayweather it’s only half a fight; boxing and stuff like that,” he claimed.
Till talks about his plans for an eventual UFC return
It definitely was not only the financial aspect of his plan that made sense for Till. As he explained a bit further, it was quite apparent that his plans for the UFC haven’t really changed much at all. Stating that time off from MMA would do him good, Till displayed the same vigor that he once had for winning the UFC gold.
“I got the mind right, I got the body right, and I burst back into the UFC. 32, fresh-faced, unscathed, untouched and you know hopefully get that world title.” Those were his exact words.
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Despite all the shortcomings that he has been through, the 30-year-old’s grit and determination were quite apparent in the interview. For ‘The Gorilla’, knowing that he gave it all during his career was something that he would be proud he claimed. In doing so, Till also shut down the detractors in an emphatic manner.
“I know people doubt me. I know people say, oh you know this, that; but that’s my plan and my dream. If I fall short, I can say, ‘You know what I fell short and I give it me all.'”
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For fans of the Englishman, this interview gave a peek into his mentality after his exit from the UFC; and it’s quite safe to say that Darren Till does have his work cut out for him over the next few years.
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