Darren Till Admits Arrests of Anthony Smith and Dustin Poirier Leave Him “Scared” for His Future
Darren Till says recent arrests involving former UFC fighters Anthony Smith and Dustin Poirier have made him consider what his own life could look like after competition. The Liverpool fighter discussed the subject during an appearance on “The Ariel Helwani Show” as he prepares for a bare-knuckle main event against Yoel Romero.
Darren Till Fears His Future Could Mirror Anthony Smith and Dustin Poirier
Till, 33, said he is not interested in judging either man, while admitting their situations prompted a frank look at his own habits and long-term plans.
“I’m not gonna fing judge them,” Till said. “I actually said something about Dustin… I was like, ‘Mate, shut up. You haven’t even done anything. I carry on like that every Friday and Saturday, so just shut the f up. Who gives a f***?’ I get it. Some people are a little bit more embarrassed… I’m 10 times worse than all these other fighters. I do get a bit scared myself for what’s to come, so I need to start thinking now about what to put in place over the next three years so it doesn’t end up like that.”
Poirier was arrested at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on June 21 after Delta staff denied him boarding on a flight to Fort Lauderdale. Atlanta police said officers encountered an intoxicated and agitated Poirier, who was shouting at airline employees and took an aggressive stance toward police. He was charged with misdemeanor public intoxication, taken to Clayton County Jail, and released on bond.
The retired former interim UFC lightweight champion later addressed the incident publicly, saying alcohol had played a role and that he intended to get sober and return to therapy.
Smith’s case involves far more serious allegations. The former UFC light heavyweight title challenger was arrested in Nebraska on July 27 and initially booked on felony counts related to domestic violence causing serious bodily injury, terroristic threats, and false imprisonment.
Prosecutors later alleged Smith threatened to kill his wife during an altercation in Gretna, Nebraska, forced her into a vehicle, and attempted to strike her with the vehicle after arriving home. Smith was charged with attempted first-degree domestic assault, terroristic threats, and first-degree false imprisonment; he was released on a $500,000 bond with an order not to contact his wife. These remain allegations, and Smith is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Till’s comments arrive during a busy second act in combat sports. He left the UFC in 2023, then went unbeaten across three boxing appearances before entering BKFC. In May, he recovered from an early knockdown to stop Aaron Chalmers in the second round of his bare-knuckle debut.
His next assignment is a major step up. Till meets former UFC middleweight title challenger Romero in the 190-pound main event of BKFC 94 on September 26 at Manchester’s AO Arena. Romero, 49, owns a 1-0 BKFC record after stopping Theo Doukas in his promotional debut, while Till enters the bout at 1-0 under the promotion’s banner.
