Darren Till travel issues delay his arrival for UFC 244, back-up fighter in place

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Darren Till travel issues delay his arrival for UFC 244, back-up fighter in place

Darren Till’s middleweight debut is going to be cut close after visa issues caused a delay in his travel to New York for this weekend’s UFC 244.

Normally a welterweight, Till is scheduled to face Kelvin Gastelum in the UFC 244 co-main event in what will also be his first bout at 185 pounds. That is, if he makes it in time. 

MMAWeekly.com sources on Wednesday stated that Till would not be in New York until late in the week because of issues with his visa. The issue has apparently been cleared up, but Till’s travel times have been pushed back.

UFC officials later confirmed there was a travel delay that would force Till to miss the UFC 244 open workouts on Wednesday and Thursday’s Ultimate Media Day.

“Due to a delay in travel, Darren Till will be not be available for the scheduled open workouts and Ultimate Media Day. Till will be available to credentialed media immediately following ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday,” read a UFC statement sent to MMAWeekly.com. 

UFC officials did not confirm, but MMAWeekly.com sources said that Jared Cannonier was ready to serve as a back-up in case Till’s travel plans go further awry or he cannot make weight.

Till has had trouble on the scale in the past, but that was at welterweight. That is also a large part of the reason why he decided to move up to the 185-pound division, where the weight cut should be more manageable.


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Darren Till travel issues delay his arrival for UFC 244, back-up fighter in place