Though it has been known for quite some time that Darren Till would headline UFC Fight Night 130 on May 27 in his hometown of Liverpool, England, his opponent was only recently announced.
While Till may be one of the fastest rising stars in the UFC welterweight division, he is going to be facing his toughest test to date when he steps into the Octagon across from Stephen “Wonderboy” Thomspon.
Till is 16-0-1 and is coming off of a tremendous first-round victory over fan-favorite Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in their UFC Fight Night 118 headliner in Poland, but he has yet to face the likes of Thompson.
While Cerrone is one of the toughest fighters on the roster, Thompson has twice fought for the UFC welterweight title, just barely coming up short on both occasions. He fought to a draw in his first meeting with champion Tyron Woodley before losing a narrow majority decision in their rematch.
Thompson’s hit list includes victories over the likes of perennial contender Jorge Masvidal, Bellator champion Rory MacDonald, former UFC welterweight champion John Hendricks, and current UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. That is a tremendous resume.
Till, however, isn’t shying away. He knows that, much like himself, Thompson is a tremendous striker. In fact, Thompson is one of the most accomplished strikers in the game, and that’s what appears to Till.
“I really do believe Wonderboy is a great striker. But I know, it’s not like I want to go in there and brawl with him, I want to see if my game can beat his game. That’s why I asked for him,” Till explained in a recent interview with former UFC welterweight contender and current UFC commentator Dan Hardy.
“It’s not about me avoiding a wrestler or a grappler. I don’t really care about that stuff… But I just want Wonderboy. I want to see who the best striker in the division is because I know it’s me.”
"I want to see if my game can beat his game."@DarrenTill2 breaks down why he wanted to face @WonderboyMMA. #UFCLiverpool pic.twitter.com/ChTEqSlspB
— UFC (@ufc) March 30, 2018
