Till and Romero clash in Manchester as BKFC 94 main card unfolds

Key points

• The main event pitted former UFC middleweight title challengers Darren Till and Yoel Romero against each other in a 190-pound catchweight contest at the AO Arena in Manchester, England.
• BKFC middleweight champion Dave Mundell defended his title against Jack Cullen in the co-main event, with other bouts including Gaz Corran vs. Mac Bygraves and Karl Thompson vs. Andy Thornton.
• Preliminary results included Mikey Henderson defeating Matt Wiwczaryk via first-round TKO, Stew Martin defeating Joshy Williams via second-round TKO, and Bart Krol defeating Luke Vaughan via first-round TKO at 55 seconds.
• Till, 33, made his BKFC debut in May with a second-round TKO over Aaron Chalmers, while Romero, 49, debuted in BKFC in September 2025 with a quick finish of Theo Doukas before losing to Vagab Vagabov in Russia in March.
• The event streamed on Triller TV and DAZN PPV, following a viral four-minute staredown between the two fighters at a press conference and a final faceoff on Friday where they exchanged words.

Background

This bout follows a viral four-minute staredown between Till and Romero at a press conference, which Till claimed he won by refusing to break eye contact. Till's BKFC record stands at 1-0 after his May debut, and a win in Manchester would improve it to 2-0, potentially prompting him to challenge fighters from other promotions. BKFC president David Feldman has previously indicated interest in a Till vs. Mike Perry matchup as early as 2027, though Perry's recent loss may have complicated negotiations. Romero has bounced between bare-knuckle boxing, MMA, wrestling in RAF, and Dirty Boxing since his PFL departure in 2024.

How outlets are covering it

MMA Fighting provided live results and the full fight card, emphasizing the catchweight nature of the main event and the title defense in the co-main event. MMA Junkie focused on the pre-fight buildup, highlighting the final faceoff and the fighters' recent histories, noting Till's 3-0 boxing record since his UFC departure and Romero's varied combat sports activities. ESPN's source was inaccessible due to a 403 error, so no perspective could be synthesized from that outlet. The outlets agree on the event details but differ in emphasis, with MMA Fighting focusing on results and MMA Junkie on the narrative and fighter backgrounds.

Why it matters

The Till vs. Romero bout is significant as it features two former UFC middleweight title challengers in a high-profile bare-knuckle contest, with Till's win potentially boosting his BKFC record to 2-0 and opening doors for cross-promotion challenges. Romero's age and varied combat sports history add a unique dimension to the bout, while the event's streaming on Triller TV and DAZN PPV indicates broad commercial interest. The co-main event title defense also stakes out BKFC's middleweight division, with Mundell's belt on the line.

What to watch

Results for the main event and co-main event are pending, as the live blog was ongoing at the time of reporting. If Till wins, his BKFC record improves to 2-0, potentially prompting him to challenge fighters from other promotions. BKFC president David Feldman may revisit the Till vs. Mike Perry matchup, though Perry's recent loss and pay cut may complicate negotiations. Romero's next bout is uncertain, given his varied combat sports history and recent loss in Russia.