Darren Till: Reality Hits Home

Darren Till: Reality Hits Home

Darren Till entered his UFC welterweight title fight at UFC 228 the betting favourite and the fighter seemingly on his way to the title, but reality often tells us a different story.

Virtually everything went wrong for Till, fighting to a plan yes but Till did nothing offensively in the opening round. Woodley started quickly, clearly wanting the fight to hit the mat. Till did well, with a little help from the referee who I felt was too eager to separate the two fighters, to avoid the takedown but other than that Woodley won the round and the signs were already worrying for the Liverpool fighter.

I felt pre-fight Woodley maybe just had more ways to win, and that was the difference, right now he is the more rounded fighter. Woodley caught Till early in the 2nd, Till in a blink was dropped and elbows from the top threatened to end the fight there and then. Till to his credit did well to survive the vicious and looked as though he would see a 3rd round.

But Woodley slipped in the D’arce choke and Till tapped to end his first opportunity at UFC gold. The opportunity might have come a little too soon for Till and while it might have been the occasion that got to him a little, or caught in two minds to be aggressive or not, Woodley almost from the opening seconds always looked the likely winner. Till at 25 will come again and if he does challenge for a title again he might not meet someone as good as Woodley.

As for Woodley it seemed he went to battle with a point to prove and he definitely proved it. The ease with which he dispatched Till was impressive, and it was the performance that he needed to reignite his career. Woodley should get a signature fight the sort of fight his talents deserve and on this performance it will take a very good man to beat him.