Derek Brunson and Darren Till (right)(image via UFC/YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Although Darren Till has just one win on his record now since 2018, Derek Brunson isn’t ready to write the fighter off as a contender.

Till battled Brunson in the headliner of UFC Vegas 36 on Saturday, and had few answers for the latter’s wrestling and top game. Till scored with some big punches in round three, but Brunson took the fight back down and ended it with a rear-naked-choke.

The fight marked the fourth time in Till’s (18-4-1) last five fights that he’s been defeated. But, Brunson believes the Liverpool fighter could still be a force at middleweight (quotes via MMA Junkie).

“I think the guy can put it together. It’s just small things. He’s really explosive, really good on the feet,” Brunson said afterward. “He has really good feints, very confident. It’s just the small things he has to address – maybe even thinking about 170, or just fine-tuning some of the wrestling things that are defensive. If he’s able to keep it on the feet, he can do a lot better.”

And while talking about Till’s wrestling defense, Brunson also offered an optimistic take.

“His takedown defense was OK,” Brunson said. “I’ve got good finishes with the chain wrestling. I can’t say his takedown defense was really bad, I just chain the attempts together (and) attacks really good. I know what it takes to take somebody down. There’s some things he can look back and improve on. Get back and work on those things and be better for his fights going forward.”

Brunson (23-7), meanwhile, has won five straight now, since he was stopped by middleweight champ Israel Adesanya in 2018.