A fight between Gunnar Nelson and Darren Till could considerably enhance London’s UFC Fight Night 127 card as it currently stands.
Nelson is one of many UFC welterweights that interacted with the vocal 25-year-old through his social media networks of late. Not usually one to exchange words with potential opponents, Nelson hoped to nail down a date with the Brit but has still heard nothing official from the UFC about their potential matchup.
“I had a little back and forth with Darren Till not so long ago and I thought that was going to happen,” Nelson told Ariel Helwani on this week’s episode of The MMA Hour. “They haven’t scheduled anything yet. It looks like he’s calling everyone out and I said I’m here, but nothing is happening.”
The Icelandic submission supremo says the fact that Till is saying that nobody wants to fight him makes him want to step up to the plate.
“Yeah, I would love that fight. He’s saying he’s not getting any opponents, he’s up there, he’s a good fighter and he’s saying that nobody wants to fight him or whatever, so I’m ready and that’s it. He’s ranked up there and I’m willing to fight.”
Nelson praised Till’s striking ability and his use of his rangy frame.
“He’s good, he’s very good,” said Nelson. “His striking is obviously his main area. He’s got a good sense of his range. He uses his range very well and he’s got good kicks as well. He’s a big guy, he’s able to use his distance well and use his size. But, yeah, I’m ready if he is.”
After his management team reached out to the UFC and expressed interest in the fight, Nelson is still playing the waiting game. He thought that the fight was a done deal following his back and forth on Twitter with Till.
“It just looks like nobody is saying anything. We said we were ready and then after all of this online back and forth I basically thought it was on. I thought it was going to happen. I thought that’s how it worked,” he explained.
“I never really said anything like that online before – not that I’m saying I was calling him out, I just said I was ready – but I thought it was going to happen. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
“(If it’s not Till) I’ll take somebody else in the top 10 or whatever. I’m always ready.”
With Till still not booked for UFC London on March 17, Nelson said he is more than willing to fight him in front of his home crowd in England.
“I was picturing London. We talked about Liverpool before but I guess that’s not happening. So, yeah, London or wherever, you know.”
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