Darren Till has eyes on a return to the MMA cage – which could take him away from his plotted UFC comeback.
The Brit left the UFC in 2023 to pursue a boxing career, where he has had a stop-start run with just two fights. He is set to headline Misfits Boxing 21 on Friday May 16 when he faces fellow UFC veteran Darren Stewart in yet another rescheduled bout following his win over Anthony Taylor.
Till has always maintained that he will only get back into the cage for his inevitable return to the sport’s top promotion. But speaking exclusively with Bloody Elbow, he noted that he has eyes on another league for his comeback.
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Darren Till performs PFL U-Turn as he opens up about potential MMA comeback
Since leaving the UFC after his loss to the future champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 282, Darren Till has always maintained that his relatioship with the promotion is strong. He has turned down offers for other MMA fights, and prefers to focus on the boxing ring.
However, he is now open to a move to the supremo’s biggest competition the PFL, telling Bloody Elbow: “I’m not too old in the sport, my body’s not broken even though I’ve obviously had trouble with my knees but I’m fresh.
“I don’t feel like I have any case of that CTE, I pronounce my words properly, I’ve got a solid brain on myself even though I know I say some mad things sometimes. That’s just public persona, obviously I’m a mad c— but I don’t think I have any early signs of CTE, or I hope not.
“So I might go back… Depending on thing I might try my hand at the PFL, have a little go. I speak to them quite a bit and look if the UFC want me back then let’s see what happens with all that.
“I’ve spoke to the PFL and I like the way they do their organization. I would actually love a bash at it. It just depends then if the UFC would have me back after that, I don’t know. I think I still have a few years left in me.”
Darren Till takes on Darren Stewart in battle of UFC veterans at Misfits Boxing 21
Before any talk of a return to the cage, Till must first take on Darren Stewart in his sophomore Misfits Boxing outing. The British duo are both veterans of the UFC, albeit with the Scouser going considerably farther in his run.
They meet in a rearranged bout in Derby at the Vaillant Live, with Till saying of the fight: “Darren did well in the UFC, he was always tough and was quite game but we were on different paths during our time in the UFC.
“But now he’s here, we’re both having a go at the boxing and we’re going to have a tear up in Derby in two weeks… It was always going to be the main event.”
Darren Till faces Darren Stewart in the main event of Misfits & DAZN X-Series 21 on Friday May 16. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster, while international viewers can watch as part of the DAZN subscription.