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Training with ‘Crazy’ Khamzat Chimaev has motivated and inspired UFC star Darren Till

Khamzat Chimaev is a special talent, and it seems just training with him can be highly beneficial. Even for an established UFC star.

Veteran UFC star Darren Till is in a bit of a rough spell of late. He has lost four of his last five outings in the Octagon and suffered a disheartening third-round submission loss to Derek Brunson in Sept. The former welterweight title challenger, and now middleweight talent, has hit a wall in his career, and hard.

With his career at a crossroads, Till decided to seek out a notable change to galvanize something deep within him and rekindle those old feelings he would get training at the early stages of his MMA journey. And the Englishman has found that in taking a month-long trip to train with UFC welterweight sensation Chimaev.

Darren Till explains why he sought out Khamzat Chimaev as a training partner

“I just got the feeling that he’s the type of guy like me. No bullsh*t. He’s just a guy who trains hard and is a little bit crazy,” Till told ESPN. “I wanted to put myself back in the beginner seat. I remember when I first walked into Team Kaobon and I was a beginner. I wanted to put myself back into that seat.

“I spoke with his manager, and I spoke with him and I said, ‘Is there any chance I can get the invite to [train]?’ and they said of course Till,” he explained. “So, I walked through the doors about a week and a half ago with my tail between my legs, and I’m loving every single second of my life right now.”

  • Khamzat Chimaev record: 10-0 (6 KOs, 4 submissions)

Till on the aura and confidence of Chimaev

khamzat chimaev, darren till
Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via USA TODAY Sports

The 29-year-old admitted he was having a crisis of confidence. When he looked in the mirror, following his most recent setback, he didn’t see the man that once challenged Tyron Woodley for the welterweight title. That is why he sought out the Chechen crusher. To spark the old “Gorilla” by way of the uncanny “aura” that Chimaev exudes.

“After that Derek fight, I was looking at myself in the mirror, and it wasn’t me, It wasn’t Darren Till,” Till said. “I was looking at my shape. I just couldn’t identify myself, and that’s why it hurt so much.”

“When you’re on a little bit of a downswing you need motivation and inspiration. As another fighter, and just watching videos, and [his] talking, and seeing how Khamzat is — even his last post-fight interview — I just like his whole aura,” he added. “It’s more important than anything. It’s not his wrestling or how fit he is, it’s his mentality. Now I’ve come here not as Darren Till the UFC superstar, in my head, I’ve come here as Darren Till the beginner.”

At the highest levels of pro sports, especially in fighting, confidence is key. And the man from Liverpool says that it is Chimaev’s absurd confidence that makes him such an infectious personality to be around.

“He fully believes he’s going to smash every guy and make money, and you need to be around that sh*t. Trust me because it’s infectious, especially to a guy like me, who believes that, as well,” said Till.

Chimaev is expected to face former title challenger Gilbert Burns in April at UFC 273.

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