British fighter Darren Till is considering a return to mixed martial arts, a move that might deviate from his previously stated plan of returning directly to the UFC.
Till departed the UFC in 2023 to pursue a boxing career, which has seen limited action with only two fights. He is scheduled to headline Misfits & DAZN X-Series 21 on Friday, May 16th, where he will face fellow UFC veteran Darren Stewart in a bout that has been rescheduled multiple times, following Till`s victory over Anthony Taylor.
The Liverpool native had consistently maintained that he would only step back into the cage for an eventual comeback to the sport`s top promotion, the UFC. However, in a recent exclusive interview, he indicated that he is now open to returning through a different organization.
Darren Till Considers PFL Move, Discusses Potential MMA Return
Since leaving the UFC after his loss to future champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 282, Darren Till has always stated his relationship with the promotion remains strong. He has turned down offers for other MMA fights, preferring to focus on boxing. Despite this, he is now open to joining the PFL, widely considered the UFC`s primary competitor. He commented: “I’m not too old for the sport, my body isn`t broken despite past knee issues, I feel fresh. I don’t believe I have 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… but I don’t think I have any early signs of CTE, or I hope not. So I might go back… Depending on things, I might give the PFL a try, 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 spoken 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 welcome me back after that, I don’t know. I think I still have a few years left in me.”
Darren Till Set to Face Fellow UFC Veteran Darren Stewart at Misfits Boxing Event
Before any potential return to MMA competition, Till is set to face Darren Stewart in his second appearance under the Misfits Boxing banner. Both British fighters are veterans of the UFC, although Till reached a higher level of prominence during his tenure there.
The rescheduled fight is set to take place in Derby at the Vaillant Live event. Commenting on the matchup, Till stated, “Darren performed well in the UFC; he was always resilient and competitive, but we were on different trajectories during our UFC careers. But now he’s here, we’re both trying boxing, and we’ll have a showdown in Derby… It was always meant to be the main event.”
