Watch: Darren Till's sponsor releases video of brutal weight cut
Warning: Video contains graphic footage
After watching the above video, it is awfully tough to argue Darren Till didn't try to make weight for his bout with Stephen Thompson on Sunday.
Till came in three-and-a-half lbs overweight after dealing with what he called a family emergency, which he has declined to elaborate on, the day before the fight, and was forced to weigh in again on Sunday at 188 lbs.
The video, released by Till's sponsor Paddy Power, shows the fighter unable to stand after a session in the sauna and he tells his coaches he loses vision at one point. Till didn't sleep Friday night and went to the gym to keep cutting at 5 a.m. Saturday morning before the weigh-in.
Till has boasted about his large size as a welterweight, saying he could move up to light heavyweight at some point in his career, but said Tuesday he intends to stay at welterweight for the immediate future.
The video pulled a unanimously disapproving reaction from many MMA media members and fans on Thursday.
This is an incredibly disturbing video, and this is just what is being made public. Imagine what isn’t being shown. Weight cutting continues to be the biggest (and scariest) issue in the sport. https://t.co/ZgXodViWNu
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 31, 2018
I don't know what Athletic Commission or doctor can look at this and say "yeah, that's what we want our licensed athletes to look like 24 hours before facing brain trauma". Insane.
— Erik Magraken (@erikmagraken) May 31, 2018
Have a hard time believing fighter health and safety is the top priority for the UFC and athletic commissions after watching that Darren Till video. The culture needs to change.
— Trent Reinsmith (@TrentReinsmith) May 31, 2018
Nah, dawg. This ain't cool. At all. Props to Till and team for willingness to share the footage, but this should be all the evidence UFC/any sanctioning body needs to stop him from fighting 170 again. No mas. https://t.co/wiNM42bcq9
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohnMMA) May 31, 2018
Watching the Till weight cut video. I don’t think this is right. After he says he can’t see, they say ok no more running. We’ll just put you in the sauna. Weight cuts are a mofo, but part of the game. pic.twitter.com/9fJxCz7McZ
— Ryan Loco (@RyanLoco) May 31, 2018
“A lot” may be the wrong wording here, but even it’s only “some,” it’s still not worth the fire they’re playing with. Hope Till’s system recovers from this and that the UFC and other sanctioning bodies use this proactively. Hard to watch, but good for the masses to see this.
— Dan Tom (@DanTomMMA) May 31, 2018
- With h/t/ to MMA Fighting