After what has been an amazing feat, UFC Fight Island is finally coming to a close. On July 25, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi will host its last event, UFC Fight Night Whittaker vs Till. The UFC is trying to go out with a bang and it shows with seven main card fights including an exciting main event in the middleweight division between Robert Whittaker and Darren Till. It’s bound to be action packed as both fighters love the standup game but who find out who will come out on top with our Robert Whittaker vs Darren Till Betting Predictions for UFC Fight Night 174.
When this fight was first announced earlier this year “The Gorilla” opened as the betting favorite. This might have something to do with the fact that the fight was originally scheduled to take place in Dublin, a mere ferry ride across the Irish sea from Till’s Liverpool. Half a year and a pandemic later, Till is now listed as the underdog by most online bookmakers but just barely. Sugarhouse and 888sport both list the Till at -105 while Whittaker at – 120. This is similar to other online sportsbooks who have Till at even money or close to it. There are a few bookies who have Till as the favorite which shows just how close this fight is expected to be. With the odds giving little indication as to how this fight will end, read my prediction below to find out where the smart bet is.
This should be a fun pick ‘em fight. Stylistically, these men both love their striking and prefer to keep the game standing up. Whittaker is an elite wrestler and even qualified to represent Australia in the 2018 Commonwealth Games. But he prefers to do his damage standing up and I don’t think this fight will be any different especially because Till has great takedown defense. Apart from losing his first fight after winning 9 straight, Whittaker had to go through some debilitating injuries including a collapsed bowel. He also went through back-to-back wars against Yael Romero, taking significant damage in both fights. He was knocked out in the 2nd round by current champ Israel Adesanya in his last fight which could have ended in the first round if Whittaker wasn’t save by the bell. Adesanya has power in his hands, but not one punch knockout power. Instead he uses his crazy accuracy and speed to hit opponents with precision and volume eventually wearing them down which usually leads to TKO finish. That didn’t happen in their last fight. Whittaker simply ate a couple of good counters from Adesanya and his chin was not able to take it. It has me believing that the Romero fights may have had some lasting effects. If he approaches this fight in the same charging style that he did his last fight, he would be again open to some counter hooks, a weapon that Till effectively uses. I also think that despite identical vitals, Till’s style of fighting is a lengthier style of fighting. I think watching Whittaker’s last fight, Till will be happy to bide his time and wait for the counter opportunity. After back-to-back losses in the Welterweight division it will be interesting to see how much of that was due to the weight cut. Till has shown a good chin before despite being knocked out, but is that chin even stronger now that he does not have to cut weight? I really think it will be close and I think both men are capable of a W here and bookmakers clearly agree. Both men are looking to prove themselves back into contention for the middleweight title after enduring a difficult last few years. This is a pick’em fight and my prediction is Darren Till ending the fight early in an identical fashion to the way Adesanya took the belt from Whittaker. Having said that, If you have Whittaker as your bet, I see the fight going the distance in that scenario.
