Verbal agreements are in place for a middleweight fight that was originally set to headline UFC Dublin. Per a report by Brazilian outlet Combate, Robert Whittaker and Darren Till have agreed to face off on July 25 instead.
No official location has been announced for the card. However, Whittaker vs. Till is expected to serve as the main event, as it would have in Dublin.
Interestingly enough, the new date falls weeks in advance of the pair’s originally scheduled meeting. The Dublin card had been expected to take place on August 15.
Despite the lack of an officially announced location, the immediate speculation for the July 25 event is that it’s linked to the UFC’s mysterious “Fight Island.” The promotion just recently trademarked UFSEA in a nod to John Oliver, and had previously trademarked Fight Island for multiple uses. UFC President Dana White suggested over a month ago that he was prepared to run shows on a private island, and while there’s been no indication as to where the island actually is, it may very well be happening.
Regardless of where the fight happens, Whittaker vs. Till will see both men looking to retain their relevance in the 185lb division. Till (18-2-1) got back in the win column last November at UFC 244, picking up a split decision win over Kelvin Gastelum. The fight was his first middleweight outing inside the octagon, though he competed in the weight class prior to joining the UFC.
Whittaker (20-5) has not competed since losing the middleweight title to Israel Adesanya in October of 2019. He was originally slated to compete at UFC 248 in March against Jared Cannonier, but withdrew from the bout for undisclosed reasons.
