Darren Till, England’s latest MMA star, will fight two-time UFC welterweight title challenger Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson on February 24, according to UFC President Dana White.
White teased the news during a Q&A in Santa Monica, also revealing a proposed UFC card in Orlando on February 24 will now take place in England.
The likelihood, then, is that Till will get his wish and not only match his skills against Thompson, a welterweight he respects, but do so in either Liverpool, his home city, or somewhere else in England. (With a London event already confirmed for March 19, the prospect of Till and Thompson landing in the nation’s capital would appear unlikely.)
If the fight gets confirmed, it’s just desserts for Till, who stepped up to the plate and fought Donald Cerrone in Gdansk, Poland last month; in what was, on paper, a sizeable risk, Till announced his arrival as a future star in the welterweight division with a one-sided mauling of ‘Cowboy’. Since then, Till’s profile has increased exponentially and many in the know are now touting him as a potential UFC champion.
What’s more, the ambitious Liverpudlian has shown a desire to continue rolling the dice and taking on the best challenges available. Indeed, a fortnight ago he told Fighters Only that a fight with ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson, one of the most feared strikers in all of MMA, was just the kind of thing he was looking for in 2018.
“The Stephen Thompson fight is very interesting to me because he’s such a good karate fighter and has beaten some good guys,” said the 24-year-old. “He’s clever, he’s smart, he’s respectful. He seems to have a good character. I think we make for a good fight. He can take a punch and give a punch. But let’s see if he can deal with what I bring, which is nasty, nasty pain and viciousness. I’ll wear him down and knock him out.”
If reports are to be believed, Darren Till will have the chance to again back up his boasts – and once again shock the world in the process – on February 24 in England.
