UFC Fight Island headliners exchange words ahead of the fight
The fantasy of Fight Island ends this weekend with UFC on ESPN 14. Darren Till takes on Robert Whittaker in the main event on Saturday.
A win for either man could mean a title shot is next.
The former champ, Robert Whittaker, believes he has more ways to win than Darren Till.
“His biggest threat is his left hand and he knows that as well,” Whittaker told reporters at Tuesday’s UFC on ESPN 14 media day. “That’s where I think I match up so much better against him than he does with me because my biggest threat is too many of them. I have so many dangerous shots, I’m so creative. I have so many angles I can exploit. He’s got his left hand. That’s all he’s got. Everything else I got covered.
“He runs that down the pipe and he’s so well at using it. I’m not taking anything away from him, he’s used it on a dozen guys and he’s knocked him out so I’ve got to be aware of that, I’ve got to give it respect, but I got so many angles he has to be aware of.”
After some time off, Whittaker is ready to get back in the octagon and admitted the time off helped reignite his passion for the sport.
“I’m just happy,” Whittaker said. “I’m alive again. The fire for the sport has been there. I’m enjoying all angles of it. I’m enjoying media week. I’m enjoying the weight cut. I’m enjoying my time in isolation. That’s a massive change and just feeling that way means I’m gonna go in that octagon, happy as Larry, and I’m just gonna get to work. I’m just gonna have fun.”
Darren Till respects the striking game of the former champion but feels he is the better striker.
“Of course he should say that and I should say the opposite – that I’m better everywhere,” Till told reporters on Tuesday at UFC on ESPN 14 media day. “But I’m not like that. I think Rob is potentially, probably more of a seasoned wrestler, a little bit better in that department. Jiu-jitsu wise, I don’t know. Striking wise he ain’t even close to the level, but I’m saying that and he could come in and show me something new and, ‘Pom, pom,’ and thats how it is. He’s meant to say that. Would you expect him to say anything else?”
“I think from me, from an individual point of view, I do everything I can in my power in the gym and in life to put myself, even though I’m prepared 100 percent, put myself a little down and say (I’m) under Rob and look at him as everything, as the beast I have to conquer,” Till explained. “I don’t know how I can explain it best, but I just like to think of Rob as better than me. That’s it.”
