Brunson open to BKFC rematch with Till after Misfits Qatar fight fell through

Derek Brunson wants a second fight with Darren Till, and he now has a bare-knuckle route to get it. Brunson told Bloody Elbow he is open to the rematch in BKFC, a promotion Till has already joined and Brunson is about to enter.

The fight nearly happened earlier this year. According to Brunson, who confirmed it to Bloody Elbow exclusively, the two were booked to meet again on a Misfits Boxing card in Qatar in April. That event was shut down by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and the rematch went with it.

The first meeting was a covid-era fight in which Brunson submitted Till. Bloody Elbow describes it as Brunson's final UFC victory. Till has since signed with BKFC and opened his run there with wins over Aaron Chalmers and Yoel Romero. Fans and media have pushed for Brunson against Till since the signing was made official earlier this month.

Brunson is 42 and a former UFC middleweight. He returns after three years away, his last appearance being his sole PFL fight. He faces Theo Doukas in Myrtle Beach on Nov. 20 in his BKFC debut. He expects to compete in MMA again, but says his focus for now is BKFC.

He has already sketched out how he would like the fight to go. "If BKFC want to go back to the UK, let's get these numbers right, me and Darren Till, gloves off, let's do it," he said. He also warned that Till "doesn't want to get clipped" by him.

Nothing is signed. Brunson's debut against Doukas comes first, and how it goes will shape whether BKFC pursues the matchup.