Derek Brunson believes that claims of Darren Till’s torn ACL are being used to minimize his victory.
Brunson shared the Octagon with Till in the main event of UFC Vegas 36. It was clear that the grappling of Brunson overwhelmed Till. It led to a third-round submission victory for Brunson.
Michael Bisping later said on BT Sport that Till suffered a torn ACL going into the bout. Brunson says that he also suffered an injury ahead of fight night with his ribs being impacted.
In an interview with MMAJunkie.com, Brunson said he believes people are trying to downplay his win.
“I’m used to people trying to minimize my wins or trying to throw a little salt. Not saying Michael was trying to do that, but all fighters are injured 24/7. Look at myself, everybody’s banged up. It’s almost like who’s less banged up going into the fight.”
Till’s coach, Colin Heron, confirmed his fighter’s injury to ESPN.
“It happened about nine weeks out, wrestling. We got it scanned, looked at properly. The results came back as a completely torn ACL. So, he’s out, isn’t he? That was the advice from me and the doctors. Rest. You can’t do nothing. Surgery is a must. No running, no fast movement, no impact.
“Darren being Darren, he said, ‘Can we give it two weeks and see if I can start running and hit pads?’ And I’m like, ‘No, not really. A torn ACL doesn’t get better by itself. You’re talking surgery and then six months of rehab alone.’ But before you know it he’s talked me into it, as he does. I’ve really only got one option then: support him, whatever his decision is. If he’s not going to take my advice, I’ve got to stick with him. I can’t disown him. We made the best of it that we could.”
Regardless of whether or not Till’s injury affected his performance, this is a huge win for Brunson. He is now on a five-fight winning streak. Brunson is also the number four-ranked UFC middleweight.
