Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping has gotten arguably even more access to the UFC fighters as a commentator than he did during his fighting days and gave some interesting insight into Darren Till’s submission loss to Derek Brunson at UFC Vegas 36.
Bisping was cageside as a part of the UFC on ESPN broadcast team, just days after signing a new multi-year deal with the sports-television giant. He watched and gave analysis as Till suffered a shocking defeat to Brunson in a fight that many felt Till would control in the octagon.
Bisping also holds similar roles with BT Sport and other broadcasting outlets when it comes to breaking down the elements of the fight game. During a recent appearance, he broke some news that Till had suffered a significant injury leading up to the main event bout.
“I went backstage to talk to Darren Till, and he was frustrated,” Bisping said during a recent segment with BT Sport. “He tore his ACL 10 weeks ago. Certainly with that kind of injury, that would’ve hampered his performance. But you can’t take anything away from Derek Brunson.”
“He’s going to stay in Las Vegas for the time being and train a little bit and work on his takedown defense. I think spending some time in the United States and getting some work in grappling, he can get sharp again.”
Till has had a bit of a mixed bag so far during his time fighting at middleweight, after making the move from welterweight back in 2019. After winning his divisional debut against Kelvin Gastelum, Till has now lost back-to-back fights against Brunson and Robert Whittaker.
While Bisping’s comments certainly don’t explain Brunson’s incredible performance in the octagon at UFC Vegas 36, it would explain Till’s lack of mobility during the bout. It’ll be interesting to see what Till does from here and if he decides to stay at middleweight. One thing’s for sure, Bisping knows a thing or two about rebounding from tough losses in the UFC
What do you think should be next for Darren Till in the UFC?