UFC Fight Night News: Kevin Holland replaces injured Darren Till for Jack Hermansson fight

The highly-awaited middleweight showdown between Darren Till and Jack Hermansson is reportedly off the table. According to a report from ESPN's Brett Okamoto, 'The Gorilla' has been forced to pull out of his return fight due to his injury issues and won't be stepping into the Octagon later this year.

The report from Okamoto on Twitter has also suggested that Kevin Holland will now be stepping in as a replacement for Darren Till. Holland has undergone a massive schedule in 2020 and a clash against 'The Joker' on December 5th will be his fifth Octagon outing this year.

Here is the report from Brett Okamoto on Twitter:

Breaking: Injury has forced Darren Till out of his UFC Fight Night main event against Jack Hermansson on Dec. 5 in Las Vegas. Kevin Holland steps in as a replacement. pic.twitter.com/8R5V0yk4Vc

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) November 6, 2020

Parallel to the fight between top contender Robert Whittaker and Jared Cannonier from UFC 254, the showdown between Till and Hermansson was also set to have huge implications on the middleweight division. However, it looks like Till will now have to wait a little longer after tearing his MCL in the Whittaker fight earlier this year.

His replacement, Holland, has been on a terrorizing run in the middleweight division lately. 'Trailblazer' first stepped foot into the Octagon on May 2020 when he finished Anthony Hernandez within 40 seconds of Round #1. Since then, Holland has followed up nicely with wins over Joaquin Buckley, Darren Stewart, and very recently put away Charlie Ontiveros.

Hermansson’s reps say they sought a ranked replacement, but several of them turned it down and Hermansson was determined to get one more fight in before end of the year. Holland looking to become the first middleweight in UFC history with five wins in a single calendar year.

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) November 6, 2020

When could we expect Darren Till's return to the UFC?

During the summer of 2020, Darren Till squared off in one of the most brutal fights of the year against Robert Whittaker. Till showcased one of the best performances of his career despite losing the fight and he ended up suffering a knee injury in the process.

Till's recovery was said to be phenomenal and judging by his Instagram handle, the former welterweight sensation was physically doing quite well. However, there was always a chance of him not making it to the fight, given he had suffered an MCL injury. Regardless, we wish Darren Till a quick recovery and hope that he returns to the Octagon quickly in 2021.

In the meantime, fans can get excited for Kevin Holland vs. Jack Hermansson. Holland has the chance to make history by becoming the first middleweight to win five fights in a year.