Darren Till Could be The #1 Contender with A Win

Costa is out, there's nobody else.

That’s not a catchy headline. Well maybe it is, but you opened this email. Hear me out. Paulo Costa is now out for 8 months. We may never get the Paulo Costa-Israel Adesanya middleweight title fight. I say that because things change in the UFC. Fast. The fight to make one day, is not necessarily the fight to make the next. Things are fluid, always. Do you think Adesanya is going to sit out for a year? Hell no. Adesanya is probably going to fight in the first quarter of 2020. He is a star, and the iron will never be hotter than right now for Stylebender.

The UFC has strapped the rocket ship to Izzy’s backside. You know who else used to have that same rocket? Darren Till. Who else is moving up to 185 lbs? Same guy, Till. Who is facing the guy Adesanya beat, in one of the greatest fights you will ever see this Saturday? Yup. Till. I am going to write this sentence, and I actually believe it. Darren Till, with a victory this weekend over Kelvin Gastelum, could become the next in line for a title shot against Adesanya.

Because why not?

The UFC doesn’t put on shows out of the goodness of their hearts. They are in the business to make money, lots of it. Who else moves the needle in the middleweight division outside of Till? Lets discuss.

Yoel Romero? Romero has lost 2 fight in a row. Regardless of who gets hurt, you do not get a title shot coming off two losses, no matter who you are. I love Romero, and would love to see it, but he needs to win one or two.

Jared Cannonier? Cannonier needs another win. Just one more. Lets be real about Cannonier, he doesn’t move the needle a centimeter. Cannonier is going to have to win until nobodies left. Period. No chance. Not now.

Would they run it back with Robert Whittaker? I mean I suppose they could. I doubt they want too, and will try to avoid it at all costs. I love Whittaker, don’t get me wrong, I just don’t see it right now.

If Till wins this weekend he will check all the boxes. He would of had a win over a top 5 opponent. He is interesting in cage and on the microphone. His fight style would be a fun match-up against Adesanya. Do not think for a second the UFC would bat an eye over the fact Till has only had one fight at 185. The division isn’t very deep, and its short on big personalities. The UFC needs to do big business now. Till Vs Adesanya fits the bill.

Listen, I am not saying I agree with it. I am just saying due to injuries and some other factors I mentioned, Till could hit it right, right off the bat. Would it damage Till’s career long term if he took a fight early in his 185 career and loses to the champ? I don’t think so. There is so many built-in excuses there that I don’t think it buries him over the long-haul. Would it hurt Adesanya to take a fight like that and lose? Nope. Quite the contrary, it could build a fruitful, lucrative rivalry.

Sometimes stuff just works out. It worked out at UFC 196 when Nate Diaz stepped in to face McGregor on Eleven days notice after Rafael Dos Anjos pulled out. What happened there? Just the 2nd most lucrative rivalry in UFC history. Thats all. It’s the fight game. Weird stuff happens. Fate intervenes. Muscles rip off bones. Till is on a 2 fight losing streak and still has to beat a very game opponent in Gastelum. I am just saying we very well have two #1 contender fights this weekend.

Its not that crazy to think Till could immediately become the #1 contender. Its not like there is a guy in the main event, who has won 2 fights in 3 years, is fighting for the ‘‘Bad Motherfucker’’ title. Right?