UFC 244: Darren Till beats Kelvin Gastelum by split decision to prove doubters wrong
- ‘The Gorilla’ edges Gastelum in cagey affair on his middleweight debut
- ‘I just want to build myself back up … stay humble and cocky at the same time,’ Till says
Darren Till was counted out by many before he even stepped into the Octagon for his middleweight debut. But he used a smart strategy to beat Kelvin Gastelum by split decision at UFC 244.
One judge had it 30-27 for Gastelum, but the two others had it 29-28 and 30-27 for “The Gorilla” at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.
The win saw Till snap a two-fight losing streak, having been submitted by former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley last year before a devastating knockout by Jorge Masvidal in March.
“I felt invincible before the Woodley fight, to come off two devastating losses and move up, and fight the bulldozer of middleweight division … it was a close fight that could’ve gone either way,” Till told Joe Rogan in the Octagon.
“I proved a lot of the doubters wrong and I want youse [sic] to message me tonight and see my reply, ‘F*** youse’.”
The 26-year-old Till almost didn’t make it to the fight either, after visa issues delayed his arrival in New York from England until Thursday.