UFC London: Darren Till vs Jack Hermansson to serve as co-main event

Liverpool’s Darren Till (left) and Swedish-born Norwegian Jack Hermansson

Darren Till and Jack Hermansson will face off in the co-main event of UFC London on 23 July.

The contest marks a meeting between top-10 middleweights at the O2 Arena, with both fighters seeking to rebound from defeats.

Liverpudlian Till last fought in September, when he was submitted by Derek Brunson in the third round. As a result, Till’s record since moving up to middleweight fell to 1-2.

Meanwhile, Hermansson’s recent record has been patchy, with the Swedish-born Norwegian 2-3 in his last five bouts. Last time out, he was outpointed by Sean Strickland.

Till, 29, is a former welterweight title challenger and has spent recent months training with that division’s rising star, Khamzat Chimaev.

Last week the UFC announced that its return to the English capital would come just four months after its last visit to London, where a hugely successful card took place at the O2 Arena.

The UFC typically stages a card in the UK once a year – almost always in London. The success of March’s event, however, led UFC president Dana White to promise a swift return by the promotion.

It was announced this week that Wigan heavyweight Tom Aspinall will headline the London card in July, taking on Curtis Blaydes. Aspinall also fought in the March main event in London, submitting Alexander Volkov in the first round.

Before the March edition of UFC London, the company had not visited the UK since early 2019, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 2019 UFC London event was headlined by Till and Jorge Masvidal, who knocked out the Briton in the second round.

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