UFC Liverpool preview: Till looks to dazzle the home crowd

"You'll never walk alone" is known as the anthem of Liverpool FC. But if you want to see the MMA version, just watch Darren Till's stroll to the Octagon at the Echo Arena on Sunday.

The proud 25-year-old Scouser caught the attention of the MMA world last October when he overpowered Donald Cerrone with a first-round TKO. He was barely known by the casual crowd before beating Cerrone, but after getting an emphatic win to improve his record to 16-0-1 the hype train was ready to roll. Till announced plans to win titles in three different UFC weight classes shortly after defeating Cerrone, and he's been exuding confidence ever since.

Almost five months later the UFC announced it would visit Liverpool, England, for the first time. Till was to fight in the main event, but he didn't have an opponent yet.

Till had trouble finding someone willing to go up against his undefeated record in front of a hometown crowd. But eventually, he found a taker in Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson, UFC's top-ranked welterweight contender. Till missed weight Saturday, but the fight is set to proceed.

Ten years his elder, Thompson has the same amount of pro fights (17) as Till, though he's been on a rough stretch recently, going 1-1-1 in his last three.

Before Thompson fought twice for the welterweight strap against Tyron Woodley, drawing in his first try and losing the second, he was on a seven-fight win streak. He defeated three-time former UFC title challenger and current middleweight champ Robert Whittaker. In comparison, Till has faced just one fighter who has appeared on the UFC's rankings.

But at 25 years old with over 13 years of Muay Thai training experience, Till has the ability to get a lot better between every fight. With around seven months of layoff time since fighting Cerrone, we could be seeing an all-new version of Till - energized and fearless as he bears the weight of Liverpool on his broad shoulders.

Not the whole weight, however, as Liverpool FC faced Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final the night before Till's homecoming. The Reds succumbed to Real Madrid, however, losing 3-1 after a truly dreadful performance from goalkeeper Loris Karius.

A thunderous debut

The UFC Liverpool card is light on star power beyond the main event. The co-main event was scheduled to be between ninth-ranked welterweight Neil Magny and Iceland's Gunnar Nelson. But the latter withdrew due to an injury, leaving an opportunity for a young Englishman to make his debut.

Enter Craig "The Thundercat" White.

The 27-year-old is on a four-fight winning streak, and is a fan-favorite fighter coming over from Cage Warriors. The welterweight likes to start at a fast pace, which is why all of White's 14 wins have come via stoppage. He will enter the card as likely the largest underdog, with his odds dipping as low as +501.

At 6-foot-3, Magny often uses his length to neutralize an opponent's attack and dictate the pace. But he won't have much of an advantage against White, who stands 6-foot-2 and also knows how to use his reach. The reaction from the crowd shouldn't rattle a veteran like Magny, though it could give White the extra boost to stay aggressive and get the win.

Defending home soil

Like most of the UFC's international cards, there's an "England vs. The World" theme to the promotion's debut in Liverpool.

Seven of the 11 bouts scheduled for Sunday will feature a fighter from England facing an opponent from elsewhere, including the main and co-main events. Keep an eye on Arnold Allen and Tom Breese, who take on Mads Burnell and Dan Kelly, respectively.

Allen (12-1) is undefeated in his three UFC fights and rides a five-bout winning streak because of his action-packed style. Breese (10-1) is coming off a long layoff after taking the first loss of his career in June 2016. The Birmingham native looked to have a bright future before his break and could get things back on track against the 40-year-old Kelly.

Related - UFC Liverpool predictions: Is 'Wonderboy' too much too soon for Till?

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)