Despite yesterday’s news in which SBG Ireland head coach John Kavanagh announced that Gunnar Nelson has been offered the headline slot on March’s UFC London card opposite Darren Till, it is beginning to look as if the UFC might have other plans for the Liverpool welterweight.
Kavanagh announced on Twitter yesterday that he and Nelson have accepted a contract offer from the UFC to compete against Till on St. Patrick’s Day in the English capital. Kavanagh added that he was hoping to hear confirmation on the agreement soon.
The news came on the back of a social media back and forth between Nelson and Till in November in which the two agreed to face each other, though according to Till he has been formally offered an April date with Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson instead. The UFC, he says, have yet to contact him with regard to a bout with Nelson.
Till told me the only offer he's had so far is / was Stephen Thompson for a main event slot on an April card.
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) January 25, 2018
While it is not particularly unusual for the UFC to pursue more than one avenue when attempting to confirm a fight for one of their fighters, particularly a surging contender like Till whose popularity has soared sine his first round demolition of Donald Cerrone in Poland last October. However, the status of this bout could be tied directly to Michael Bisping and if he accepts the UFC’s offer of one more fight before retirement. Bisping would be the presumptive headliner of the London card if he agrees to compete, which would leave Till and Nelson in the co-main status.
Till, who is chasing a title shot before the end of the year, would likely headline an April fight card against Thompson in what would be a match-up of arguably the two best strikers at 170-pounds.
Michael Bisping is currently considering his bout agreement against an as of yet unnamed opponent and we suspect that once he reaches that decision, the status of the hypothetical Gunnar Nelson vs. Darren Till bout will become clearer.
