Things didn’t go Till’s way in the main event of UFC Vegas 36, but he sent a message that he’s still on a quest for UFC gold.
On Saturday afternoon in Las Vegas, Nevada, Darren Till dropped his second fight in a row and fourth of five fights, marking a rough skid from his early UFC days that saw him go 5-0-1 in his first six fights.
This latest loss to Derek Brunson at UFC Vegas 36 wasn’t a razor thin decision either: Brunson took Till down with ease and pinned him to the canvas for the majority of the fight. He beat “The Gorilla” up with relentless ground and pound before submitting the Liverpudian with a rear naked choke halfway through the third round (watch the finish and highlights here).
There’s a lot of debate on what Darren Till needs to do next to turn around his prospects as a contender. Should he change camps? Weight class? Live in a wrestling singlet for a year? All viable options. But one option that is off the table? Giving up. So sayeth Till himself, who took to social media after the loss to share captionless pictures of UFC champions Michael Bisping and Charles Oliveira.
Bisping and Oliveira know more than a little about battling adversity and being counted out, yet both ended up achieving UFC gold. The message is clear: while Till may be down, he’s not out, and he’s still on a quest to become a UFC champion.
Charles Oliveira responded to Till’s reference with these words of encouragement:
Keep you head up, never give up! God knows everything. Return home, get back to the gym – train and dedicated yourself.
Hey @darrentill2 we’re here my ma’, if you need our support, lets train together. #UFCVegas36 https://t.co/ONnGzTlsKh
— Charles Oliveira (@CharlesDoBronxs) September 5, 2021
And Michael Bisping, who was on hand as a commentator for UFC Vegas 36, took the time to relay his pep talk in person.
I just told him exactly that. He knows. He’ll be back and he’ll be the champ one day https://t.co/pZ5APGYJDb
— michael (@bisping) September 4, 2021
We don’t know what’s next for Till after this latest disappointment, but it’s clear he’s still got a lot of fans and supporters who haven’t given up on him as a contender. Hopefully he’ll be able to turn things around and get back in the win column with some much needed adjustments.