Robert Whittaker vs. Darren Till, July 25
Of course, we couldn’t run this feature without talking about the headliner of the final “Fight Island” event of the UFC’s four-date run. Former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] is looking to bounce back into title contention once again, but he faces a surging Brit who has title aspirations of his own.
[autotag]Darren Till[/autotag]’s title tilt at welterweight ended in defeat against Tyron Woodley in an opportunity that perhaps came at the wrong weight class for the Liverpudlian. At the time, Till (18-2-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC) was pushing himself to the limit just to make weight for his bouts and it’s almost certain we haven’t seen the very best of him in the octagon as a result.
But, since that defeat, Till has taken stock and made the decision to move up to middleweight. His first assignment was a real acid test of his credentials at 185 pounds, and he passed with flying colors as he neutralized Kelvin Gastelum and outstruck him to pick up arguably the most important win of his UFC career.
They might be friendly on social media, but when that Octagon door shuts there's going to be fireworks đź’Ą
Exactly one month to go until @robwhittakermma and @darrentill2 headline #UFCFightIsland… pic.twitter.com/8A4P5z8im8
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) June 25, 2020
That victory positioned him as a new contender at middleweight and, with Till and reigning champion Israel Adesanya openly talking about a potential title fight earlier in their respective careers, that early talk may yet turn into reality. But for that happen soon, Till must take out the former champion.
Some will point to Whittaker’s championship pedigree as the potential difference-maker in this fight, while others may highlight the Australian’s loss to a technical striker in Adesanya. Till is certainly technical in his stand-up, albeit from more of a Muay Thai stance than “The Last Stylebender’s” more kickboxing-based setup. But if the Brit can control the range against Whittaker (20-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC) as effectively as he did against Gastelum, British fans may be preparing themselves for another Darren Till title fight later this year.
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