Derek Brunson says he would like to challenge one of the Paul brothers before fighting for the UFC middleweight title
Derek Brunson wouldn't mind taking on one of the Paul brothers in a tune-up fight before he fights for the UFC middleweight championship.
The 37-year-old believes a bout against Jake or Logan Paul could set him up for the biggest fight of his life in the UFC. Brunson also noted that he is open to competing in one of the Triller Fight Club events.
"I can use a tune-up (fight) with one of the Paul brothers or something. Maybe if Dana White allows me to fight at Triller Fight Club, could fight one of those guys. Or maybe I can wait till Israel (Adesanya) and (Robert) Whittaker fight in early next year, and fight in March or April," said Derek Brunson at the post-fight press conference.
Brunson isn't dismissing a fight against Jared Cannonier either. 'The Killa Gorilla' sits two places above him in the middleweight division. He believes Cannonier is a formidable opponent but would prefer to fight for the middleweight title, considering his recent success in the promotion.
"We have some options. (Jared) Cannonier isn't completely off the table. ...I'm doing all this work, I definitely want to be rewarded."
Watch Derek Brunson's interview below:
Derek Brunson wins big at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Till
Derek Brunson put on an outsanding performance against Darren Till in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Till. The Liverpool-based fighter looked superior on the feet, but Brunson dominated the contest after securing a slew of takedowns.
Despite starting the second round strong, Till succumbed to yet another Brunson takedown. The Merseyside native could not find a way to get back up, and Brunson continued connecting with brutal shots on the ground.
In the third round, Brunson once again took the fight to the mat and got hold of Till's neck before submitting him successfully. During his post-fight interview, the 37-year-old made it clear that he wants to fight for the title soon.
The third round started well for Till. 'The Gorilla' hurt Brunson in an initial striking exchange. However, a quick change of levels for the 37-year-old meant that Till was once again on the ground. After a few moments of trying to gain the superior position, Brunson used a rear-naked choke to submit Darren Till.
In his post-fight interview, Derek Brunson made it clear that he wanted to fight for the title and was willing to watch Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2 play out.
Derek Brunson is now on a five-fight win streak. Since losing to Israel Adesanya in 2018, he has registered big wins over Till, Kevin Holland, Edmen Shahbazyan, Ian Heinisch and Elias Theodorou.