Eight years before his upcoming Misfits Boxing fight, Darren Till made a statement in his first-ever UFC main event.
Till’s UFC career ultimately did not go as he had planned. The Scouser was once among the most highly touted prospects in the promotion, as he rose through the ranks with a number of impressive performances.
‘The Gorilla’ left MMA’s top organization at the start of 2023 amid a difficult period. Till’s submission loss to Dricus du Plessis, a then-future UFC middleweight champion, marked his third straight defeat and fifth loss in six fights.
But while his stint in the Octagon may have ended with disappointment, that does not mean his UFC résumé is absent of memorable triumphs, chief among them being a brutal display in his very first headliner.
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Darren Till finished Donald Cerrone in one round at UFC Gdansk
Till went undefeated in MMA en route to his one and only UFC title shot in 2018. And one of the key results that catapulted him into a showdown with Tyron Woodley was arguably his career’s best performance.
In 2017, ‘The Gorilla’ headlined a UFC Fight Night in Gdansk, Poland. Till faced off against fan favorite Donald Cerrone, a former lightweight title challenger who would go on to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2023.
It took the Scouser just over four minutes to make a statement, as Till ran through Cerrone in quick time. After a vicious combination put the veteran on wobbly legs, the up-and-comer landed a brutal elbow to move closer to the finish.
An absolute onslaught of punches followed as Cerrone covered up, eventually crumpling him against the cage as the referee intervened for the first-round TKO stoppage.
Till would go on to defeat Stephen Thompson in his second main event before being submitted by Tyron Woodley in his title shot — a result that sparked a downward spiral that ultimately left ‘The Gorilla’ leaving the UFC earlier than expected.
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Darren Till looks to go 3-0 in Misfits Boxing against Luke Rockhold
Since bringing his UFC tenure to an end following a disappointing run of three straight losses, Till has returned to winning ways in the ring.
After defeating Anthony Taylor in his pro boxing debut this past January, Till beat Darren Stewart at Misfits Boxing 21 in May.
‘The Gorilla’ will now look to extend his perfect record in the crossover promotion to 3-0 this coming Saturday, when Till headlines against Luke Rockhold at Misfits Boxing 22.
The pair will top a lineup at Manchester’s AO Arena that also features another ex-UFC star in Tony Ferguson and the controversial Dillon Danis. ‘El Cucuy’ will feature in the co-main event against internet personality Salt Papi, while Danis competes in Misfits’ first-ever MMA bout.