Dana White Responds To Backlash Of Darren Till vs. Kelvin Gastelum Matchup

Darren Till has his UFC middleweight debut booked as he will take on Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 244. Yet, many fans took to social media saying it was a bad matchup for the Englishman.

What many fans were confused was why the UFC would give Till a top-five middleweight after UFC president, Dana White admitted he rushed the Englishman too soon. According to the boss, there is a simple reason why.

“It’s the fight he wants,” White said to reporters after the Contender Series (h/t MMA Junkie).

Although it is a fight Darren Till wanted, it is not something the Las Vegas-based promotion had to give him. Yet, White admits they did try to talk him about it, but he was stubborn on the idea of fighting Kelvin Gastelum.

“We did,” White said. “Yes, we did. ‘That’s the fight I want.’ We went to him and said, ‘You sure this is the fight you want?’ He’s moving up. ‘You sure the Gastelum fight?’ That’s the fight I want.’ So, love it.”

Till, of course, is on a two-fight losing streak where he was submitted by Tyron Woodley at UFC 228 when he fought for the title. Then, at UFC London in March, he was knocked out cold by Jorge Masvidal in the second round to set up the move to middleweight.

Gastelum, meanwhile, is coming off of a decision loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 236 when he fought for the interim middleweight title. Before that, he was set to fight Robert Whittaker for the title at UFC 234 before the champ had to pull out on the day of the fight. To earn the title shot he beat Jacare Souza by decision and knocked out Michael Bisping.

Darren Till vs. Kelvin Gastelum goes down on Nov. 2 at UFC 244.

Who do you think will win the fight between Darren Till and Kelvin Gastelum?