Darren Till is Injured, Out of Fight With Jack Hermansson

Over the past few years, Darren Till has grown to become one of the most popular fighters in the UFC. Many were excited to see him compete with Jack Hermansson on December 5th. Unfortunately, reports have surfaced that Darren Till is injured and won’t be able to compete with Jack next month.

It’s disappointing news for fans around the world. The UFC worked quickly to find a replacement, though. Kevin Holland will be stepping in to face “The Joker.” Today, we’re going to talk about what exactly is happening with this situation.

Let’s get into it!

The UFC’s Middleweight Division is Currently Left in Limbo

In April of 2019, the UFC’s middleweight division was changed forever. Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum fought in one of the most exciting title bouts of all-time. In the end, Adesanya was declared the winner via unanimous decision and earned the interim middleweight championship of the world.

Everyone knew that Adesanya was a special fighter. Many were torn on whether or not he could get past Robert Whittaker, though. That question was answered on October 6th, 2019. It took less than two rounds for Israel to defeat Whittaker and unify the middleweight titles.

This win proved that Adesanya was one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet. He’s since gone on to defeat Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa. There aren’t too many challenges left for Israel. Many felt a rematch with Whittaker made sense.

That doesn’t seem to be what is next, though. Not long ago, news broke that Israel Adesanya was preparing to move up in weight to challenge Jan Blachowicz for the light-heavyweight title. It’s an interesting move, and one that leaves the middleweight division in limbo.

There is no shortage of contenders in this weight class. Some felt Darren Till could be next to fight for the belt with a win over Jack Hermansson on December 5th. New reports indicate this fight won’t be taking place, though.

Here’s what’s led to this massive fight cancelation.

Reports Confirm Darren Till is Injured and Out of Fight With Jack Hermansson

Israel Adesanya has done an incredible job clearing out the middleweight division. There are a few names that have not yet made their way to his resume, though. Darren Till seemed like an exciting fighter to take on Adesanya in the future.

Don’t expect it anytime soon, though. Reports have surfaced that confirm Darren Till is injured and won’t be competing on December 5th. It’s not clear what exactly has been injured. Till claimed on Twitter he would be back next year, however, indicating it’s likely a serious injury.

.

Good luck to both guys.


I’ll be back next year.


I hope Kevin gets to showcase himself against one of the top guys of the division… he’s as game as they come ! https://t.co/slRehp4KjO

— D (@darrentill2) November 6, 2020

Kevin Holland has already been booked as a replacement. Hardcore fans are well-aware of Holland and his skillset. He’s already competed four times this year, most recently on October 31st where he earned a slam TKO victory.

Obviously, fans are disappointed to see Till sitting on the sidelines once again. He’s developed a massive social media following. As we just mentioned, a win over Hermanssson likely would have earned him a shot at the title, as well.

Sites like Bovada have not yet begun offering odds on Holland vs. Hermansson. That is likely to change soon. It will be fascinating to see how the oddsmakers respond to this new matchup. It seems likely that Jack Hermansson will be listed as the slight favorite.

The middleweight title is still in limbo. What does Israel Adesanya’s move up in weight mean for the weight class?

Adesanya vs. Blachowicz is Likely to Take Place Early Next Year

Most agree that Israel Adesanya is now one of the biggest stars in MMA. His most recent bout against Paulo Costa solidified his standing as a Pay-Per-View draw. It now appears he’s ready to capture a second world title.

An official date for Adesanya vs. Blachowicz has not been revealed yet. No one seems to know when this fight will come together. It seems likely that this fight will take place sometime early next year on “Fight Island.”

That obviously makes it difficult for the middleweight fighters closing in on a title shot. Robert Whittaker has already been complaining about the UFC taking this route. Officials within the UFC have yet to respond to these statements.

It’s also unclear if the UFC will book an interim middleweight title fight. Generally, if a champion is unable to defend his title for an extended period of time, this is the route that is taken. Dana White may be hesitant to make this move right now with Adesanya as the unified champion.

Darren Till is injured, yet he seems confident in a return early next year. It will be interesting to see who he is matched up against. If Kevin Holland wins, that’s certainly a fight that would draw in viewers.

Are you happy to see Kevin Holland replace Darren Till? Who do you think wins between Adesanya and Jan Blachowicz? Let us know in the comments section below!