Darren Till and UFC Liverpool
Aye Fight Fam!
I hope everyone is having a great week.
As you may or may not know, UFC Liverpool is a monumental event, not only for the UFC but for the people of England. This is the first time the promotion has ever stepped foot into Liverpool as the event will be hosted at Echo Arena on May 27th, 2018. Many prominent fighters (mainly boxers) such as the young Mick Conlan, Carl Frampton, Billy Joe Saunders, Tony Bellew and more. This event is sure to have a nice gate for the UFC and the crowd will be cheering every moment of this one.
There just seems to be one major problem... Darren Till is headlining BUT he does not have an opponent!
Here are the 2 opponents I would like to see Till face:
1. Stephen Thompson
This is undoubtedly THE man everyone hopes will fill the slot against Till. 'Wonderboy' offers a great matchup for Till stylistically. Both men have shown prowess on their feet as each is great at controlling and closing the distance at will. Most importantly, a win over Wonderboy gives Till a right to ask for a title shot or an eliminator with Dos Anjos.
2. Kamaru Usman
A fight with Kamaru Usman makes sense not only rankings wise but considering the Twitter war that has been going on between the two men, this one is sure to be filled with bad intentions. Currently, both men are ranked at #7 on the UFC's official website. Usman offers a great match-up for fans and analysts alike. Kamaru Usman has some of the best wrestling in the division as he trains with Michael Chandler (from Bellator). Assuming Usman utilizes his wrestling pedigree, we will truly be able to gauge Till's takedown defense and ground game should he go down. If Till can overcome Usman on the ground, I will be convinced we see Till fighting for a title in the near future. Darren Till and Kamaru Usman are both rising stars and either man has the potential to run the division one day. The time has come for one man to further define himself and build his legacy.
Other potential fighters to fill the slot:
Colby Covington - Highly unlikely as Covington is looking for a shot at RDA. Yet, this would surely be a draw since fans love the idea of Till "crushing Covington".
Neil Magny - Magny is ranke #9 in the world and is fresh off of a win over Carlos Condit. I do not mean to take anything away from Magny but this is not main event worthy as fans still complain that Condit was rusty in their fight.
Santiago Ponzinibbio - Ponzinibbio is riding a 6 fight win streak with his most recent win coming over Mike Perry. Till would be a great challenge for 'Ponzi, and while fans may not care too much for this fight, Ponzinibbio is a well rounded opponent that can test Till in many areas.
Gunnar Nelson - There was has been discussion about this fight potentially happening. I know Gunnar would love to battle Till and rebound from his knockout loss in July to the aforementioned Santiago Ponzinibbio. Not to take from 'Gunni' but knowing McGregor has its perks and this sure can happen.
In conclusion, whatever happens, I am sure the UFC is working on a great opponent for Till. I will genuinely be surprised if one of the men standing across the octagon from Till is not one of the names I mentioned. I am excited for this fight as we could be witnessing the future.
So let me know, who do you think Darren Till should face and why? Who grabs the golden W?