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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is no longer headed to Dublin, Ireland, this summer after the country extended its ban on live events, which means the promotion needs a new date and location for the Robert Whittaker (20-5) vs. Darren Till (18-2-1) showdown.
According to a report from Combate, “The Reaper” will throw hands with “The Gorilla” in the July 25 mixed martial arts (MMA) event on the still-secret “Fight Island,” a middleweight bout that is expected to take place over five rounds.
This marks Whittaker’s first fight since coughing up his 185-pound strap to Israel Adesanya at UFC 243 last October. The defeat snapped the Aussie’s nine-fight win streak, which dated back to his days competing at welterweight.
Till, meanwhile, went undefeated in 17 straight bouts at 170 pounds before dropping back-to-back outings against Tyron Woodley and Jorge Masvidal. “The Gorilla” eventually made the jump to middleweight at UFC 244 last November, defeating Kelvin Gastelum via split decision.
The winner of Whittaker-Till will sit atop a very short list of contenders to challenge the victor of Adesanya vs. Paulo Costa, also expected to take place this summer on Fight Island. As for the July 25 card, no other bouts have been attached (yet) to what is likely an ESPN or ESPN+ offering.