Darren Till is not all that bothered if his colourful language turns some broadcasters off.
With the UFC hitting the mainstream in the biggest sense of the word after signing a landmark five-year, $1.5 billion deal with ESPN last week, swear words in post-fight interviews are not going to go down well in the future.
Some fighters are media-trained to within an inch of their lives and know exactly how to act in front of television cameras.
Other fighters, like Till, are just so raw and genuine that they’re never going to be anything other than themselves when a microphone is put in front of them.
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Till claimed a razor-close unanimous decision over Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson in the main event of the UFC’s debut event in Liverpool on Sunday night and, after enduring a rough 36 hours thanks to issues with his weight cut, the undefeated Scouser let it all out when Dan Hardy entered the Octagon to interview him.
“Fucking everyone and anyone,” Till roared when asked who he wanted to fight next.
“I don’t care. I’m not scared of anyone. No-one!
“I have people asking me if I think I deserve a title shot after this fight. No I fucking don’t!
“I haven’t beaten anyone. I need to beat all these cunts. They’re all getting it!”
Fox Sports 1, who were covering the event in the United States, cut out almost all of the audio, leaving viewers curious as to what was said.
Till was typically unapologetic a few minutes later when he took to his post-fight press conference to explain why he has a tendency to hold nothing back with his language.
“It’s a word. It’s just a word. It’s expressive and it shows how passionate I am,” Till said.
“Every time I go for interviews they say: ‘Till, can you not say this and not say that?’ And I just say: ‘Maybe. I don’t know.’ But then it just comes out like Tourette’s.
“TV stations have a choice. They can either have me in or not. It’s no skin off my nose. I don’t want to be a celebrity. You can give me an interview or you can’t.
“I’m just so passionate. I don’t think, when a swear word is coming out of me, that I shouldn’t say this. I’m just passionate and that’s what comes out of me.
“Maybe I might have to tone it down but I’m not going to…. Cunts!”
