This is set to be a classic.
The UFC is set to return to Dublin in August of this year and the promotion is lining up one hell of a main event. It has been reported by ESPN that UFC Dublin will play host to what will surely be a No.1 title contender match-up.
Former UFC champion Robert Whittaker is set to take on British fighter and No.5 ranked middleweight Darren Till at the August event at the 3 Arena. The bout agreements have not been signed but both parties are said to be keen on the bout.
Whittaker, who lost his title to Israel Adesanya last year, was set to fight No.3 ranked Jared Cannonier at UFC 248 last weekend. However, before that fight was officially confirmed, Cannonier tore his pectoral muscle in training and the bout was scratched.
Till moved up to middleweight last November after weight cut issues at 170lbs. He lost a welterweight title fight against Tyron Woodley, at UFC 228, and was then knocked out by Jorge Masvidal last March.
The Liverpudlian switched up to middleweight (185lbs) and recorded a decision victory over Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 244. No other bouts have been confirmed for UFC Dublin but a main event between ‘The Reaper’ Whittaker and ‘The Gorilla’ Till is a damn fine start to proceedings.
The UFC, meanwhile, is considering if it will cancel upcoming fight cards in Brasilla, Brazil in Columbus, Ohio (USA). The chief executive of the ONE Championship says that promotion’s next few cards will be ‘closed door’ events but the UFC has yet to announce similar measures.
Also in doubt, right now, is UFC London, which is just nine days away, and UFC 249 – headlined by Khabib Nurmagomedov’s lightweight title defence against Tony Ferguson – in New Jersey.
Should UFC 249 be postponed, later than its slated date of April 18, it will be the fifth time Nurmagomedov and Ferguson will have had their fight chalked off. Nurmagomedov observes, which runs from April 23 to May 23 this year, so any delay to his fight may not see him return until June or July.
