Darren Till: The Weight of Expectation 

Darren Till: The Weight of Expectation 

Darren Till this weekend gets the chance to restore what the fighting city of Liverpool would call normal service when he challenges Tyron Woodley for the UFC welterweight title at UFC 228.

Recent heartbreaking defeats by Molly McCann and Paddy Pimblett have stemmed the recent upward trajectory of MMA in Liverpool, but Till has the opportunity to stop the rot and put his city right near the top of the MMA map.

Some will argue with much justification that Till shouldn’t be fighting for a UFC title after missing weight so badly in his previous fight, but he is and despite being the betting underdog he has an excellent chance of following Michael Bisping as a UFC champion from UK shores.

There were reasons for missing weight against ‘Wonderboy’ but Till cuts a ridiculous, dangerous even, amount of weight and you have to wonder how the cut will hinder his performance, especially if the fight goes deep which is highly probable.

Whatever happens in this fight, for Till the move to middleweight is inevitable and Imminent, this might be his one and only chance at welterweight gold.

Woodley looked sensational when winning the belt but he has been hit and miss since. The nature of the performance against Demian Maia cost him a massive fight against the returning GSP, you sense he badly needs a signature win and performance to take his career to the next level.

Despite being underrated and under appreciated Woodley is some fighter and he might just have more ways to win in his locker than Till, and potentially more crucially, despite being the champion the one with more to prove.

But sometimes you get the feeling it’s someone’s time that they just won’t be denied, a McGregor against Aldo moment, Till could be at that stage.

If Till makes the weight and it doesn’t deplete him too much then he has the style to give Woodley all the trouble he can handle.

I expect him to use similar tactics to the ones he used with Thompson, but he needs to be mindful that he doesn’t let the fight slip away by not doing enough. Till was fortunate to get the decision against Thompson, will the judges be in such a giving mood in a title fight, I have my doubts, Till will need to remove any doubt this time.