Darren Till’s UFC London replacement confirmed after Liverpudlian pulls out of Jack Hermansson fight

Darren Till has been forced to withdraw from his fight against Jack Hermansson at UFC London due to an undisclosed injury.

Chris Curtis will step in for the Liverpudlian at the O2 Arena on 23 July.

Till (18-4-1) last fought in September, when he suffered a submission loss to Derek Brunson. The result marked the Briton’s fourth defeat in five fights.

Till, 29, was scheduled to face fellow middleweight Hermansson in the co-main event of UFC London this month, but it was reported by ESPN this week that the former welterweight title challenger was set to withdraw due to injury.

While the nature of the injury has not yet been revealed, the UFC has confirmed that American Curtis will now fight Hermansson in London.

Hermansson (22-7) last competed in February, losing to Sean Strickland via split decision. Curtis, meanwhile, outpointed Rodolfo Vieira on 25 June, meaning he is set for a quick turnaround here.

Curtis’ victory over Vieira extended the 34-year-old’s win streak to eight fights – a run that dates back to January 2020. Meanwhile, 34-year-old Hermansson is 2-3 in his last five outings.

The Swedish-born Norwegian is ranked eighth at middleweight in the UFC, while Till is ninth. Curtis (29-8) is unranked in the division but could enter the top 15 with a win at UFC London.