Darren Till Clears Visa Hurdles For UFC 244, Jared Cannonier On Standby Just In Case
While the mixed martial arts (MMA) community was consumed with the possibility that this weekend’s UFC 244 main event was in jeopardy, it was overlooked that the co-main event has been having issues as well.
Darren Till and Kelvin Gastelum are slated to meet at middleweight in the Madison Square Garden co-headliner Saturday night. However, according to MMA insider @TalkMMA on Twitter, Till has been dealing with some visa issues ahead of the event.
In a follow-up report from ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Till’s visa issues have been squared away, and he’s expected to arrive in New York City on Thursday.
Till’s issues with his visa were reportedly linked to his recent arrest in the Canary Islands. While things seem to be all clear for Till vs. Gastelum this weekend, the UFC has a backup plan just in case. ESPN’s Ariel Helwani reports that top-ranked middleweight Jared Cannonier is in training, and is currently in New York, in case something goes wrong.
The Till vs. Gastelum matchup is one of the most anticipated on the card. It will be the Englishman’s debut at middleweight, and a huge accomplishment for Gastelum if he’s able to hand the talented striker his third-ever loss.
What do you make of the UFC having Cannonier on standby in case Till is unable to make the trip?
