No stories found matching ""

Boxing

The Gorilla Meets the Soldier of God: Darren Till and Yoel Romero Set for BKFC 94 Showdown

July 29, 2026 3 min read
The Gorilla Meets the Soldier of God: Darren Till and Yoel Romero Set for BKFC 94 Showdown

Photo: BKFC

Darren Till faces his toughest bare-knuckle test yet when he meets former UFC title challenger Yoel Romero in the main event of BKFC 94 in Manchester. The blockbuster showdown headlines what BKFC has described as its biggest event in the United Kingdom to date.

Darren Till's second Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship appearance may prove to be his toughest test yet.

BKFC has announced that Till will face former UFC title challenger Yoel Romero in the main event of BKFC 94 on September 26 at Manchester's AO Arena. The 190-pound catchweight contest brings together two of the biggest names to transition from the UFC into bare-knuckle boxing.

Till made an impressive start to life in BKFC with a stoppage victory over Aaron Chalmers at BKFC 90 earlier this year, while Romero also enjoyed a successful promotional debut by stopping Theo Doukas. Now, the two former UFC stars meet in what BKFC has described as its biggest event in the United Kingdom to date.

Darren Till looks to build on strong BKFC start

After a difficult end to his UFC career, Till has found renewed momentum since making the move to bare-knuckle boxing.

The former UFC welterweight title challenger made a statement in his promotional debut, defeating Aaron Chalmers in front of a sold-out crowd in Birmingham. Victory over Romero would represent the biggest win of his combat sports resurgence and further establish him as one of BKFC's marquee attractions.

Till welcomed the announcement with his usual humour, saying:

"I've finally got over my years of trauma & nightmares of Yoel Romero. So, let's f***** do this!!"

Romero remains one of combat sports' most dangerous veterans

Despite approaching his 50th birthday, Romero continues to be one of the sport's most intimidating competitors.

The former UFC middleweight title challenger and Olympic silver medallist successfully carried his explosive style into bare-knuckle boxing with a stoppage victory over Theo Doukas in his promotional debut. A win over Till on British soil would strengthen his standing within BKFC while spoiling one of the promotion's biggest UK events.

Romero had a simple message for his opponent:

"He's been running his mouth for too long, on September 26 I'm going to close it permanently in Manchester."

BKFC continues its expansion in the UK

The Manchester event represents another major step in BKFC's continued investment in the British market.

Promotion founder and president David Feldman described Till versus Romero as the biggest event the company has promoted in the United Kingdom, highlighting the popularity of both former UFC stars and the rivalry that has developed between them.

The co-main event will also feature championship action as BKFC middleweight champion David Mundell defends his title against British boxer Jack Cullen, who has won both of his appearances since joining the promotion.

Further undercard bouts featuring some of the UK's leading bare-knuckle fighters are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

A huge night for British bare-knuckle boxing

With two former UFC title challengers headlining in Manchester and a world title fight supporting them, BKFC 94 is shaping up to be one of the promotion's biggest European events to date.

For Till, it represents another opportunity to continue rebuilding his career in front of a home crowd. For Romero, it is the chance to remind the combat sports world why he remains one of the most feared names of his generation.

Julian Murray

Julian Murray is an accomplished combat sports journalist and content creator specializing in MMA and the UFC. He covers live event analysis, fight breakdowns, and betting trends for publications like Combat Evolved, MMA Island, Sidekick Boxing, and Combat Sports UK. Widely recognized within the MMA social media community for his fight previews and insights under the handle @JMurrayMMA, he is frequently cited by major journalists such as Aaron Bronsteter. He also holds a (2-0) record as a professional cornerman.

You May Also Like

You must be logged in to post a comment.