Tag: UFC Liverpool

Hardy Explains What’s Blocking UFC’s Return To Liverpool

Former UFC welterweight Dan Hardy says the UFC is unable to return to Liverpool as the Arena no longer hosts combat sports. Liverpool has previously held a UFC event headlined by its hometown star Darren Till who took on Stephen Thompson in the main event back in May 2018. That event took place in Liverpool…

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Former UFC welterweight Dan Hardy says the UFC is unable to return to Liverpool as the Arena no longer hosts combat sports.

Liverpool has previously held a UFC event headlined by its hometown star Darren Till who took on Stephen Thompson in the main event back in May 2018. That event took place in Liverpool Arena formerly known as the Echo Arena.

The Arena itself has since been renamed the M&S Bank Arena for sponsorship reasons back in 2019.

Hardy believes that the change in naming rights is what’s blocking the UFC from returning to Liverpool. He explained in an interview with The MMA Hour the reasons behind it.

“This is the reason why the UFC aren’t going back to Liverpool, is because they’ve got a different sponsor at the arena. And the sponsor won’t allow combat sports. Yeah, the Echo is no longer the Echo. I think it’s the M&S Arena, Marks & Spencer. It’s a different brand, and they won’t allow combat sports. So, that’s what’s putting the block on Paddy and Molly coming back to Liverpool. Very, Very sad. Really disappointing, and very short-sighted of that brand… It’d be incredible.”

It appears with the brand sponsoring, the Arena is against entertaining combat sports in any capacity.

M&S Bank Arena
M&S Bank Arena

However, the M&S Bank Arena has previously held boxing events under the new sponsor. The Arena hosted a combat sports event as recently as last Friday when a Probellum boxing event saw Paul Butler take on Jonas Sultan for the interim WBO bantamweight title at the Arena.

This could mean that the M&S Bank Arena is against hosting MMA specifically, which would only infuriate both Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann who have been vocal about their ambitions to headline events in the city.

Should the UFC return to Liverpool, one of the pair could headline the card in the main event as well as a possible return for fan-favorite Till. There have been claims that the Arena could be too small to host a UFC event currently due to the popularity of the sport in the UK.

The M&S Bank Arena has almost half the capacity of the O2 Arena which typically hosts UFC London. Rumors have spread surrounding Anfield Stadium hosting a UFC event in its place yet an event there would also involve complications.

Would you like to see UFC return to Liverpool? Or should the UFC stick to London?

Continue Reading Hardy Explains What’s Blocking UFC’s Return To Liverpool at MMA News.

Darren Till Recalls Club Altercation With Drug User Post-UFC Liverpool

UFC middleweight contender Darren Till has recalled the time he had to turn things physical in a nightclub following his victory over Stephen Thompson in 2018. At the May 27 UFC Fight Night event that year, Till headlined opposite “Wonderboy” in front of an adoring home crowd in Liverpool. At the time, “The Gorilla” boasted…

Continue Reading Darren Till Recalls Club Altercation With Drug User Post-UFC Liverpool at MMA News.

UFC middleweight contender Darren Till has recalled the time he had to turn things physical in a nightclub following his victory over Stephen Thompson in 2018.

At the May 27 UFC Fight Night event that year, Till headlined opposite “Wonderboy” in front of an adoring home crowd in Liverpool. At the time, “The Gorilla” boasted an undefeated 17-0-1 record, and was riding the momentum from victories over Bojan Veli?kovi? and Donald Cerrone.

In his way of breaking into title contention and continuing his rapid ascension up the UFC ladder was “Wonderboy,” regarded as one of the best strikers in the game. While it appeared set to be a tough test, Till passed by taking home a unanimous decision victory, although many disputed the verdict.

Having added the name of the then-#1-ranked welterweight to his unblemished résumé, a Liverpudlian celebration was certainly in order. Unfortunately, one individual wanted “The Gorilla” to celebrate a little too hard…

During a recent edition of TheMacLife’s Pub Talk, Till and host Oscar Willis had a conversation fitting of their location and alcohol-filled table. When discussing the public perception of him, Till suggested many presume he takes substances due to his fondness of alcohol, something he says is far from the truth.

“I’ve been put in so many situations, even in my hometown, Liverpool, when I’ve gone out,” said Till. It’s crazy because a lot of people have got me down for some mad, crazy alcoholic who goes out, and I do, but I don’t take drugs. But because I’m so mad on alcohol, everyone thinks I’m on the gear. I do not take drugs. I’m so against drugs. And people come up to me in clubs and are like, ‘Have a sniff.’”

One of those moments took place just hours after Till had left the Octagon at UFC Liverpool.

Till: He Goes To Put The Bag Of Drugs In My Hand…

Recalling the incident, Till noted the multiple interactions he had with the same person inside a Liverpool nightclub named Mansion.

After being approached about taking drugs from the individual on two separate occasions, Till said he and his entourage moved to a different floor in order to avoid fists getting involved.

“So, I won’t name no names, but one lad—the afterparty was huge. We had a big afterparty in a place called Mansion. Everyone was there, all my friends and that, and we played Sweet Caroline, but it was like a nightclub,” recalled Till. “One guy comes up, had his phone on record and was like, ‘Brother, do you want to come to the toilet and have a line?’ And I was like, ‘I don’t take drugs brother, see you later.’

“Then he comes up again. Now, I start getting like—I get jittery mate, ’cause I know I can’t have an argument in conversation, I either have to hit someone—0-100,” added Till. “So I’m like, ‘I know what’s gonna happen here.’ So then there’s another club downstairs called Vice. So we go there.”

When the person’s efforts turned from verbal offers to full-on handing Till the drugs whilst recording on his phone, Till, who’s had his fair share of scraps in Liverpool and was even brutally stabbed from behind in the city, increased his response from a ‘no’ to a ‘whack’.

“So I’m in there, just won the biggest fight of my life, just partying, me and my friend John Gillies are there, and this lad comes up again,” continued Till. “He’s got his Snapchat thing out now, right, and he’s got the flash up, and he’s recording. And he goes to put like, the bag in my hand, and as he does it, I just went boom [imitates a punch], whacked him clean in the chest.

“He flew, he flew across the thing. I just thought, ‘Mate, it’s one thing asking me to take drugs, it’s (another to put them in my hand) and film me.’ Probably worked for The Sun, piece of sh*t. You are the lowest of the low,” concluded Till.

If the term “no means no” isn’t accepted when Darren Till is involved, you best be prepared for a stiffer answer next time around, and perhaps some bruising…

What do you make of Darren Till’s response to the individual attempting to hand him drugs on film?

Continue Reading Darren Till Recalls Club Altercation With Drug User Post-UFC Liverpool at MMA News.

Stephen Thompson Would ‘Love To’ Rematch Darren Till

In 2018, the Octagon headed to Liverpool, England for one reason, Darren Till. When Till was announced as the headliner, many pegged it as the same as Conor McGregor fighting in Dublin. But, the Englishman had a much harder fight in fighting the number…

In 2018, the Octagon headed to Liverpool, England for one reason, Darren Till. When Till was announced as the headliner, many pegged it as the same as Conor McGregor fighting in Dublin. But, the Englishman had a much harder fight in fighting the number one contender at the time, Stephen Thompson. Ultimately, it was a […]

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10 Worst Judging Robberies In UFC History For 2018

Check out 10 of the worst UFC robberies from the past and this year:

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There’s nothing worse than a terrible decision where the winner loses and the loser clearly wins.

Unfortunately for both fighters and fight fans, it’s more commonplace than you think.

The history of the UFC has produced some awful decisions. Let’s take a look at the 10 worst robberies in the UFC, updated for 2018:

Brad Rempel for USA TODAY Sports

10. Sam Alvey Defeats Gian Villante – UFC Fight Night 131

As for more recent robberies, this one certainly stands out. When ‘Smilin’ Sam Alvey called out Gian Villante following Alvey’s victory in his light heavyweight debut, fight fans oddly took notice.

Sure, they weren’t the biggest names in the division, but both men are known scrappers with some thrilling knockout victories to their name.

Which is why the fight itself felt massively deflating watching it play out. Alvey resorted to the kind of extreme bouts of inactivity he’s been known for when he can’t score the knockout. Alvey did manage to knock his opponent down towards the end of the first round, but there wasn’t enough time left to finish him.

Meanwhile, Villante did his best to cut off the cage and corner Alvey. The Long Island native showed excellent Octagon control and was winning the fight beyond the flash knockdown at the end of round one.

So it wasn’t too surprising to see the crowd react the way they did once the split decision was announced in Alvey’s favor. That one knockdown apparently negated the other 14 minutes and 45 seconds where Villante controlled the fight.

An obviously disappointed and stunned Villante left the arena scratching his head at how he could have lost that fight, and fight fans were left just as confused.

Sometimes, a single knockdown can win over the judges, even more so than the remaining 15 minutes of the fight.

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Stephen Thomspons Claims Controversial Move Should Be Banned From MMA

Should this move be banned from MMA competition?

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Following his controversial unanimous decision defeat to Darren Till at May’s UFC Liverpool, top UFC welterweight Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson took the loss like a true pro and didn’t complain.

However, that’s not exactly the case at the current moment.

Thompson is now recovering from a significant knee injury sustained in the fight with Till, and he recently told BJPenn.com that after watching the fight, he believes it stemmed from a second-round side kick to the knee, a tactic that slowed him throughout the fight but had a far more devastating effect when he heard ‘cracking and popping’:

“I did finally watch the fight man. Me and my coaches came back and watched the fight. You know, there was one thing that really slowed me down during the fight and that was the side kick to the knee. It caught me just right in the center of the knee in the first or second round. I believe it was the second round if I remember correctly.

“But yeah man, I heard some cracking and popping and it slowed me down tremendously so it was hard for me to move around the way I wanted to. I was also worried that if he hit it again the fight would be over. Not just that but also my career. It would have been devastating to tear my ACL for a second time. But yeah after watching the fight, you know, there’s always something you can go back and work on.”

‘Wonderboy’ elaborated further on just how serious his injury from the fight with Till was, revealing that he did tear his MCL in the bout but thankfully would not require more surgery:

“You know I tore my MCL in the fight with Till. We did an MRI and thankfully nothing else was damaged. No surgery is required for this injury but I have to give it at least eight weeks to heal properly before I can get back to training.”

Facing an eight-week recovery before he can return to training, ‘Wonderboy’ agreed that side kicks to the knee should be banned from MMA competition. He cited recent instances such as Robert Whittaker’s torn ACL in his first bout versus Yoel Romero last year, noting that Whittaker chose to use the move himself during the rematch, and also stated his belief that Till was legitimately trying to injure him:

“Yeah I feel you there man,” said Thompson. “I honestly think that strike should be made illegal. It could end somebodies career. You know Robert Whittaker had to have ACL surgery following his first fight with Yoel Romero due to that particular strike. And as you could see, Robert Whittaker made sure to beat Yoel Romero to the punch in their second fight. He threw a lot more than he did this time around.

“It is just a very dangerous technique. I think a lot of fighters throw that strike but sometimes it is for different reasons. When I fought Jorge Masvidal he used that same side kick to the knee. But when Jorge threw it, he was doing so just to keep me away. Not in an attempt to injure my knee. But when I was in the cage fighting Till it felt like ok this guy is trying to break my leg. It was like he had intentions of ripping everything out in my knee. That’s how I felt anyway. Like this dude is really trying to injure me in here. I think it an ugly strike and that it should be made illegal.”

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Darren Till Insists He Can Still Make Welterweight Despite Liverpool Mishap

Darren Till says he can still make welterweight despite UFC Liverpool:

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Darren Till badly missed the welterweight limit for his most recent fight against Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson, and with his history of missing weight, fight fans have a serious question about Till’s championship ability at 170 pounds.

Can he make weight and make weight consistently?

According to Till himself, making welterweight isn’t a problem:

“I can still make welterweight, that’s for certain. Yeah, it’s put a little dampener on my win, but it doesn’t change the fact that I beat the No. 1 in the world. If anything, I was worse off in the fight. I was at 60 percent because I cut weight wrong that night. I was dehydrated, I was weak, so I wasn’t my full self, but I just feel like a bit too much of a big deal has been made out of it.”

Rumors and speculation about Till’s last weight cut ranged from “he went blind” to “he was passing out,” and all of that is actually pretty scary if it’s true. But Till says the whole thing has been blown out of proportion, and only suffered dizziness, Till said to ESPN:

“I didn’t lose sight, I was just feeling dizzy. It was five o’clock in the morning and I was up all night and I’d been back and forth to the hospital and then in the sauna. Obviously, the video makes it look a little bit worse but it wasn’t in any way bad.”

Till must not have been too badly compromised by the weight cut, as he went on to defeat perennial number two welterweight ‘Wonderboy’ by decision at UFC Liverpool.

But until he can comfortably make 170 pounds and do so consistently, Till will likely have to answer these kinds of questions about his weight.

Do you think Till’s weight has been exaggerated and overblown? Or is him making welterweight still a serious question mark?

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