Darren Till was on the receiving end of some heavy criticism after the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight contender made comments about being “selfish” when it comes to prioritizing his time when it comes to his family and his mixed martial arts (MMA) career.
“Gorilla” — who is slated to face 170-pound champion Tyron Woodley at UFC 228 on Sept. 8, 2018 in Dallas, Texas — says he “doesn’t really care” about his pregnant girlfriend or daughter he hasn’t seen in over a year, as his focus is solely on winning the world title.
While Till did backtrack a bit and explained his point, former UFC Middleweight champion Michael Bisping took it upon himself to defend his fellow countrymen’s comments, and tried to clarify them in the process.
“What he’s saying is, right now his mission, his quest in life, is to be the best fighter in the world, win the world title and go down in history. Of course he loves his daughter,” explained Bisping on his “Believe You Me” podcast via Sports Joe.
“Of course he wants to see her. What he’s saying is, ‘Right now, I’m fighting for the title. I’ve got a seven-month pregnant girlfriend. I don’t give a fuck. I’ve got a kid down there I never see. I don’t give a fuck. The only thing that matters in my life right now is winning the belt,” he continued.
For Bisping, Till’s error was in his delivery.
”Maybe the choice of words were not the smartest, not the best, but that’s what he’s saying. If you read between the lines. He’s not saying that he doesn’t give a fuck about his daughter. Even though that’s exactly what he does say. That’s not what he’s saying.What he’s saying is it matters so much to him.”
Satisfied?
Till received his unexpected shot at the title after Colby Covington bowed out of consideration for the championship showdown against Woodley due to medical reasons. Now, Till will look to shock the world by dethroning “The Chosen One,” and proving that his decision to be “selfish” for a few weeks was well worth it.