Khamzat Chimaev's BJJ coach says Darren Till's unusual energy fit their team like a piece in a puzzle
![(L-R) Darren Till, Andreas Michael, Khamzat Chimaev and Alan 'Finfou' Nascimento [Image Courtesy: @khamzat_chimaev Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/04/39e8b-16498667900938-1920.jpg?w=500)
Former European jiu-jitsu champion and current Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach to Khamzat Chimaev, Alan 'Finfou' Nascimento, recently stated that Darren Till belongs in their team's "puzzle".
In a recent interview, the well-respected grappler gave his thoughts on Till joining the team. 'Finfou', as he's best known in the world of jiu-jitsu, was very complimentary of the UFC middleweight, saying:
"I believe that a team is like a puzzle, whoever is in it, has to fit without being forced in...you need to belong in that puzzle. Darren Till arrived looking like he was already part of the family."
The Brazilian native, now a Swedish resident, believes Till's successful integration into the team is mainly due to his character. 'Finfou' thinks this is a direct result of quality time spent with each other and being away from the cameras. He added:
"There's a lot about Darren Till, about Chimaev, that the media itself doesn't see. These guys have a different side, they have good hearts and they're brothers."
Most notably, 'Finfou' gave his understanding of Till's unusual and crazy nature, relating it to the Scouser's life experiences. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach tied his own life experiences alongside Chimaev's, which correlated well with the Liverpudlian's. Till faced his own trauma on Merseyside in 2012, where he became another victim of a knife crime.
Darren Till sends a powerful message about knife crime 9 years on from being stabbed #NoKnivesSaveLives https://t.co/ZyDxyc36wb
The Brazilian noted that these heart-felt ideas help build connections between one another and act as the foundation behind his team's dynamic. He elaborated:
"Each of us have similar stories but from different parts of the world. One ['Finfou'] came from Brazil's favelas...he [Till] went through lots of trouble with gangs and got stabbed in Liverpool, England. And the other [Chimaev] came from Chechnya as a refugee because of war. This helps me understand that everyone has gone or will go through something in their lives, so you have to respect the person regardless of who they are."
To view the entire interview with Alan 'Finfou' Nascimento, click below:
The origin of the Darren Till & Khamzat Chimaev brotherhood
The unlikely pairing of the two UFC stars came to fruition when Chimaev exchanged degrading Darren and instead used words of encouragement. The change came following Till's most recent loss to Derek Brunson. 'The Gorilla' was heavily criticized for being dominated by his opponents' wrestle-heavy approach. Chimaev later tweeted to Till with an offer he couldn't refuse...
🏼 twitter.com/ufc/status/143…
@DerekBrunson calls for a rematch with the champ after submitting Till. #UFCVegas36@DerekBrunson Congratulations good job 👏
@darrentill2 Come to Sweden I will help you with wrestling ✊🏼 twitter.com/ufc/status/143…
Fast-forward six months of training together, the self-branded 'Darren Till 2.0' will certainly live up to the name should his newly improved wrestling style resemble close to his now 'brother' Chimaev.