.It’s no secret Darren Till partakes in a massive weight cut to make 170 pounds.
Throughout his UFC tenure, many have wondered if the 26-year-old welterweight should make the move up to 185. A video blog of Till’s weight cut prior to his fight against Stephen Thompson in May 2018 intensified the conversation.
According to the UFC Performance Institute vice president David French, Till (17-2-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC) has to cut over 30 pounds to make the welterweight limit. The Liverpool native has mulled over a move to 185 pounds in the past, but ultimately has never pulled the trigger.
In his first interview since his loss to Jorge Masvidal in March, Till spoke to Fighters Only magazine and talked about a potential move up in weight. “The Gorilla” indicated TJ Dillashaw’s recent unsuccessful drop to flyweight has made him reconsider large weight cuts.
“Obviously TJ got popped for whatever he got popped for,” Till said. “As I say, it’s none of my (expletive) business really. I don’t think he really should have been doing it and fair play he came out and said, ‘Blah, blah.’ But again, none of my business.
“When he fought Cejudo he did look physically – he looked like me at 170 (pounds). He just didn’t look like TJ, because TJ’s a beast. (Henry) Cejudo’s a very good fighter as well, but I think it would have been different at a higher weight.”
While Till did not directly say in what weight class he’ll have his next bout, he indicated a move to middleweight might be a good fit. As he ran down the middleweight roster, Till expressed interest in a couple of matchups with top-tier talent at 185 pounds.
“I do have to think about them things,” Till said. “I wouldn’t be small at 185. I’d be right in the mix in there with them guys. The great guy, the interim champ Israel (Adesanya) is a great fighter. The champ (Robert Whittaker) is a good fighter. There’s a few beasts. The one guy who is a scary guy is Yoel (Romero).”
Regardless of what weight class he chooses to compete in, Till plans on returning to action in 2019.
The welterweight contender is currently riding a two-fight losing streak. After being brutally knocked out in his last outing, Till lost a championship bout against Tyron Woodley at UFC 228. Prior to the Woodley bout, Till hadn’t lost in six UFC appearances. Till holds wins over former UFC title challengers Stephen Thompson and Donald Cerrone.
For more on the upcoming schedule, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.
