TLDR
- Darren Till says never winning a UFC title will haunt him for life and describes it as a permanent “thorn” in his side
- Till left the UFC on a three-fight losing streak but has since won boxing matches against Luke Rockhold, Darren Stewart, and Anthony Taylor
- He defeated Yoel Romero in bare-knuckle fighting at BKFC 94 last Saturday
- Till’s manager does not want him to return to the UFC, but he hasn’t ruled out the possibility
- He is now targeting a grudge match with Mike Perry, who is recovering from a shoulder dislocation
Sources: yardbarker.com
Former UFC contender Darren Till says never winning a championship in the organization remains a lasting regret, even as he finds success in other combat sports.
Till described the unfulfilled goal as a “thorn” that will stay with him for the rest of his life. He said winning a UFC title was his ultimate dream and his reason for fighting.
“I’m a very honest guy. I’m gonna have a thorn in me for the rest of my life that I didn’t win a UFC title,” Till said. “That was my dream. That was my be-all and end-all in life.”
The Liverpool native became the first fighter from his city to compete for a UFC championship. He fought alongside his team at Team Kaobon but ultimately fell short of capturing gold.
DARREN TILL JUST WENT 5 ROUNDS WITH YOEL ROMERO IN BARE KNUCKLE – AND WALKED AWAY WITH THE UNANIMOUS WIN! #BKFC94 | Presented by @BuckedUp pic.twitter.com/GdeMihuehE
— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) September 26, 2026
Life After the UFC
Till left the UFC following a three-fight losing streak. Since his departure, he has transitioned to both boxing and bare-knuckle fighting.
In boxing, Till has defeated several opponents with MMA backgrounds. His victories include wins over Luke Rockhold, Darren Stewart, and Anthony Taylor.
Most recently, Till competed in bare-knuckle boxing at BKFC 94 last Saturday. He defeated former UFC fighter Yoel Romero in that contest.
Despite his success in these new ventures, Till acknowledged that only a UFC return could remove his regret about never winning a championship.
Possible UFC Return
Till did not completely rule out the possibility of returning to the UFC in the future. However, he said his manager opposes the idea.
“I’ll never take that thorn out of me unless I go back to the UFC. My manager doesn’t want me to, but one day, who knows?” Till said.
For now, Till is focused on his current combat sports career outside the UFC. He is pursuing a potential matchup with Mike Perry, a former UFC fighter who has also transitioned to bare-knuckle boxing.
Perry is currently recovering from an injury. He suffered a shoulder dislocation in his recent MMA loss to Brandon Jenkins.
Till characterized the potential Perry fight as a “grudge match.” The two fighters have a history of tension that would make the bout an appealing matchup for fans of both boxing and MMA.
