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Ben Rothwell: A Heavyweight Contender Reborn

There was a different Ben Rothwell that existed prior to September 5, 2014.
In the 13 years and 42 bouts that preceded his fight against Alistair Overeem at Fight Night 50, Big Ben had amassed a reputation for being a game opponent inside the cage. The…

There was a different Ben Rothwell that existed prior to September 5, 2014.

In the 13 years and 42 bouts that preceded his fight against Alistair Overeem at Fight Night 50, Big Ben had amassed a reputation for being a game opponent inside the cage. The Wisconsin native had competed on a multitude of stages around the globe and consistently held rank as one of the better heavyweights on the planet. That said, even with solid streaks of success he’d never been the best, and alternating wins and losses since arriving to the UFC in 2009 was a strong sign that reaching the top of the heavyweight mountain would never happen.

He seemed to finally be finding his footing inside the Octagon, but a nine-month suspension for elevated levels of testosterone following his third-round destruction of Brandon Vera at UFC 164 in Milwaukee erased any momentum he had. It was yet another case of one step forward, one step back for the Kenosha-based fighter, and slipping off into obscurity was absolutely there for the taking.

Rothwell told Bleacher Report:

“I don’t blame anyone for anything. Look at my first three performances in the UFC. I won only one of those three fights. It is what it is. I’m real big on facts and dues paid. Even if you look at my one win coming out of the gates it wasn’t even a good looking one. I had a lot of things that were weighing on me at that time. I was going through different training camps and trying to find a home. I was trying to figure out what to do, and it was a very confusing time for me.

“Even when I started to establish myself I still had a few trips and setbacks. I lost down in Brazil. I had the mishaps in my Milwaukee fight with the TRT business. All of those things that brought me down and held me down forced my back against the wall. That situation gave me one of two options. I was either going to get cut and be done fighting, or I was going to be resurrected into this man you see now.”

The bout against the former Strikeforce and K-1 heavyweight king appeared to be one that was set to usher him out of the upper ranks and boost the Dutch powerhouse back into title contention. All Rothwell had to do was show up and get it over with, but the man who walked into the Octagon that night in Connecticut wasn’t the same fighter.

Something remarkable happened in his time away, as if a long-lost piece of the puzzle had suddenly been found. What he discovered was a place to call his own, a team and gym he could settle into. In doing so, he found the confidence and peace of mind that had long been absent in his life and career. The results were shocking as he blasted through Overeem in a one-round display of fury and violence.

Most fighters Overeem had faced wanted nothing to do with his power, but Rothwell welcomed it and walked through it like a man possessed.

His victory at Fight Night 50 would turn heads in the MMA community, and when he choked out a surging Matt Mitrione via go-go choke in the first round of their tilt at Fight Night 68, the new version of the man stood tall. A veteran capitalizing on a small window of opportunity to get the finish, the maniacal laugh in the post-fight interview, a resurgence in full bloom for all to see; it was clear this Ben Rothwell is nothing to take lightly.

This Ben Rothwell believes he can be the UFC heavyweight champion, and he’s willing to dismantle the divisional upper tier brick by brick in order to get what he’s after. He told Bleacher Report:

“I just believe in myself so much that when I came back I came out hard. I established my gym and I have a family around me. I found a permanent base, and that was something I’d never had before. That training and foundation started to create a different version of me and I think that has been visible. I’m getting more confident each and every time and becoming more powerful. When I told people they haven’t seen nothing yet, that really means something. Just wait until my next fight.

“I’ve always been a big heavyweight from a physical standpoint. I’ve had skills and I’ve sparred and trained with some of the best in the world. I just didn’t believe in myself and I didn’t believe in my skills. When the coaches I have now first started training me they told me I have everything it takes to be a world champion, but I had to believe it.

“And it’s not just about being intense because I’ve always been intense. I’ve always fought hard and brought everything I have, but I’m at this level of confidence now where I know when I walk in I’m going to beat that mutherf–ker’s ass. I know what I’m about and I know who I am. And when you know you’re one of the best in the world this is what you sound like.”

Back-to-back victories have put Rothwell within striking distance of a potential title opportunity, but their are a few sizable obstacles remaining in his path toward gold. Rothwell has set his sights on two possible targets for his next outing and believes a victory over either will catapult him to the front of the title picture in the heavyweight ranks.

Former champion Junior dos Santos put himself back on the title radar after edging out Stipe Miocic via split-decision at UFC on Fox 13 last December, but lingering injuries have kept Cigano from setting a projected date to return to action. That would make resurgent former two-time champion Andrei Arlovski the more likely option, and it’s one Rothwell is eager to jump into.

With the Pit Bull’s current five-fight winning streak inside the Octagon and recent knockout over highly touted contender Travis Browne, the MMA community has once again rallied behind a fighter most wrote off several years prior. That type of attention has upped the Belarus native’s stock in Rothwell’s eyes, and with a loss to Arlovski earlier in his career, it also puts Rothwell in a place where he feels few will give him the chance to find victory.

That scenario only fuels his motivations. Rothwell is supremely confident he will walk right through Arlovski en route to a title opportunity in 2016. Rothwell said:

“Junior dos Santos is the No. 1 contender, so to speak, and that fight would be great because taking him on and beating him would project me toward where I want to be. But if the guy is injured and won’t be ready for a while it doesn’t make sense to wait around. If it’s not a title fight there is no reason to sit on the sidelines when Andrei Arlovski is right there.

“He’s put himself right next to dos Santos as far as what he’s worth. He’s in a huge resurgence and people are really getting behind him. Also, a lot of people doubt me being able to beat him, so that fight is worth just as much to me. Crushing Andrei Arlovski is going to silence a lot of doubters. It’s going to project me into that No. 1 contender spot. It’s going to leave zero doubt in anyone’s mind that I am fighting for that title next year.”

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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Sorting out the UFC Heavyweight Title Picture

For the first time since we saw Cain Velasquez batter Junior dos Santos for a second time at UFC 166 in October 2013, the heavyweight title picture feels open—wide open.
Call it a shot at newly crowned heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum (whom I…

For the first time since we saw Cain Velasquez batter Junior dos Santos for a second time at UFC 166 in October 2013, the heavyweight title picture feels open—wide open.

Call it a shot at newly crowned heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum (whom I picked to defeat Velasquez at UFC 188, mind you), but he doesn’t feel invincible. Much like this new wave of champions that includes the likes of Daniel Cormier, Chris Weidman, Robbie Lawler and T.J. Dillashaw, Werdum doesn’t carry this palpable sense of impermeability his predecessor once had.

Jon Jones can beat Cormier, Rockhold stands a good chance against Weidman, and just about any of the top four contenders could topple Lawler and Dillashaw in their respective divisions.

The same goes for Werdum, who has many questions to answer as he begins his journey in certifying himself as the undisputed baddest man on the planet.

Truthfully, any fighter can defeat any other fighter on any given night—especially the big guys at heavyweight. But having a puncher’s chance against the champion doesn’t necessarily make one a contender in the division. So forgive me in advance for not including anybody outside the UFC’s top five heavyweights in this conversation (especially you, Ben Rothwell, because I really enjoyed your post-fight nonsense).

To clarify, this isn’t black or white. Pretenders do not stand a good chance to beat Werdum—contenders do.

Begin Slideshow

An Official Plea to UFC: Give Us Ben Rothwell vs. Andrei Arlovski

A terror-filled weekend was highlighted by the release of Focus Features’ Insidious: Chapter 3 and one of the greatest heel turns in UFC history.
I tossed and turned all night trying to rid my mind of a sweaty, unshaven Ben Rothwell standing in t…

A terror-filled weekend was highlighted by the release of Focus Features’ Insidious: Chapter 3 and one of the greatest heel turns in UFC history.

I tossed and turned all night trying to rid my mind of a sweaty, unshaven Ben Rothwell standing in the Octagon next to UFC commentator Jon Anik, laughing maniacally after choking Matt Mitrione into submission.

The UFC Fight Night 68 post-fight interview was manufactured, over-the-top, embarrassing and gimmicky. Yet for some strange reason, it was also brilliant. As Mitrione angrily walked away from the cage picking body hair from his mouth, Rothwell was left alone with a microphone and an opportunity to steal the show.

I fully expected to see another goofy reimagining of the “Truffle Shuffle” or whatever dance move he pulled off after knocking out Alistair Overeem last September.

But enough was enough. Rothwell was through trying to please fans with hip-hop dance moves from the late ’80s. He was done with constantly being overlooked and passed over. Actions speak louder than words, but as fighters are beginning to learn in MMA, words create opportunities for action.

Rothwell said to Anik:

That’s actions that speak louder than words. The mixed martial artist you once knew is no more. I am something completely different. The only fight that matters to me now is the number one contender’s spot. I will have the UFC title.

Pause and insert some random hand gesture.

I know right now there is not a man on this planet that can stop me inside of this Octagon and only politics can slow me. I don’t know much else to say other than you have seen nothing yet.

End the quote with a laugh so tyrannical it gives Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin a run for its money. Perhaps that was a major overstatement, but you get the picture. Rothwell made himself relevant again by word of mouth and another dominant performance. Before Saturday night, Rothwell could have very well been released from the UFC and hardly a soul would have batted an eye.

For the first time in his UFC tenure, Rothwell is subject for conversation. He even asked for a rematch with former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski after his win over Mitrione. The last time the two heavyweights met was nearly seven years ago at Affliction: Banned, a short-lived MMA promotion spearheaded by the famous clothing line.

Arlovski won by knockout in the third round.

But after last night, their paths seem destined to cross again. So this is it, an official plea to the UFC: Give us Rothwell vs. Arlovski.

UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is already tangled up with interim champ Fabricio Werdum at UFC 188. Many, including Rothwell, believe Stipe Miocic is the next man with the golden ticket, unless Velasquez loses. In that scenario, the UFC might give him an immediate rematch.

If Arlovski doesn’t get the next title shot, it would be ludicrous and downright detrimental to his heavyweight run to put him on ice for an extended period of time. He needs to keep busy, and there are few opponents more complimentary to his style than Rothwell. Junior dos Santos is being pushed aside on purpose, considering the fact that he’s already fought Velasquez three times and lost twice.

The division is desperately in need of new contenders, or in this case, reemerging contenders who have been spit-shined and dusted for cobwebs. “You have seen nothing yet,” according to Rothwell.

Why not give the man a chance to let his actions speak?

Jordy McElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He also is the MMA writer for FanRag Sports and co-founder of The MMA Bros.

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UFC Contenders John Dodson and Andrei Arlovski Practice Pro Wrestling Moves

UFC contenders Andrei Arlovski and John Dodson are riding high after their wins at May 23’s UFC 187 event in Las Vegas.
The Team Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA standouts apparently wasted no time getting back to the gym, but instead of polishing up their…

UFC contenders Andrei Arlovski and John Dodson are riding high after their wins at May 23’s UFC 187 event in Las Vegas.

The Team Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA standouts apparently wasted no time getting back to the gym, but instead of polishing up their MMA skills, they engaged in a little lighthearted pro-wrestling-style combat.

The results, which were posted to MMA House’s YouTube channel and /r/MMA, are pretty hilarious.

Arlovski—a UFC heavyweight who has won five straight, emerging as a legitimate title contender in the process—stands 6’4″ and weighs somewhere around 240 pounds. He’s massive.

Dodson—a UFC flyweight who has won three straight, also emerging as a title contender in his division—stands 5’3″ and walks around somewhere around 150 pounds. He is small.

The size juxtaposition alone makes this a fun watch, but I particularly enjoyed Dodson’s reaction to a flying Arlovski headed his direction. Catch that around 0:38 into the video.

Otherwise, this looks like some good fun between teammates, but the lingering issue with it is, of course, the risk of injury.

MMA fighters suffer injuries frequently enough as it is, so one can question how intelligent it is for two surging fighters on the cusp of title fights to engage in some high-flying WWE-style activity. Dodson, in particular, only recently recovered from ACL surgery, which put him out of action for almost a year.

Despite defeating his opponent, Zach Makovsky, at UFC 187 via decision, Dodson did look a little rusty, and it’s unclear whether he was still suffering from some lingering effects of that injury inside the Octagon.

The point is fair, but I personally think we should take this for what it is: two teammates and friends having a little fun and relaxing after months of hard work paid off for them inside the cage.

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UFC 187 Aftermath: The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same

(Jeez, Cormier can barely hold his belt before every dude-bro in the club tries to get a piece of him. Photo via Getty.)

It’s damn near impossible to look back at the flat-out fantastic card that was UFC 187 without first examining the bizarre series of events that shaped it. A seemingly invincible champion inside the cage was undone by his own actions outside of it. A seemingly broken former title challenger was suddenly thrust back into the title picture. An injury-plagued champion shrouded in doubt was finally set to face a morally (and chemically) dubious challenger in a fight some two years in the making. UFC 187 was a card surrounded by so many questions and disappointments (NURMY!!!) going in that its results could have easily left fans as unsatisfied as they would have been had the it been cancelled outright.

Thankfully, UFC 187 quickly and distinctly answered all our questions in a night of brilliant violence.

The post UFC 187 Aftermath: The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same appeared first on Cagepotato.

(Jeez, Cormier can barely hold his belt before every dude-bro in the club tries to get a piece of him. Photo via Getty.)

Thankfully, UFC 187 quickly and distinctly answered all our questions in a night of brilliant violence.

“Get your shit together, I’m waiting for you.”

It wasn’t easy to see why Daniel Cormier was being considered such a huge favorite over Anthony Johnson until the cage doors closed. Johnson was the bigger man (an insane fact considering the weight classes both men previously fought in), the more powerful puncher, and had shown a ridiculously improved grappling game in his recent wins over Phil Davis and Alexander Gustafsson. After he sent Cormier halfway across the canvas with a right hand early on, it appeared as if we were in store for another classic “Rumble” destruction, and a bad night at the office for the bookies.

But even more surprising than punch Johnson landed early was how Cormier recovered from it — instantly and no worse for the wear. From that point on, the fight was what many of us predicted from the Olympian: a grinding, relentless, wrestling-based attack that had broken many an opponent in the past. Like Vitor Belfort had managed on Johnson in his first UFC run, Cormier smothered “Rumble”, bounced his head off the canvas a few times, and finished him when he had all but given up.

While questions regarding Cormier’s “legitimacy” as champion will always remain in Jon Jones‘ absence, DC’s message to the former king was succinct and necessary as it could’ve been: We will fight again, just as soon as the courts allow.

In the meantime, it appears the newly-crowned champion will be content to put beating on Ryan Bader, who did all he needed to do to set up their grudge match during the evening’s post-fight presser. Cormier’s reaction to being called out by Bader, however, wasn’t exactly reflective of the “champion’s attitude” he had been preaching in the weeks leading up to UFC 187. How one of FOX’s go-to analysts can come across so polished inside the studio yet so unhinged outside of it seems to suggest that, like Jones, there may be more to Daniel Cormier than we thought there was.

“Hey, hey. Stop doubting me. It’s enough. Stop doubting me. You better join the team now. This is my last invitation. Join the team. I love you.”

At this point, I don’t even know what to say to the inexplicably-vehement, likely Brazilian h8rs of Chris Weidman. If his hilariously self-deprecating stories, his day-to-day heroism, or his recent interview with Ariel Helwani hasn’t already endeared you to the guy, then nothing will (also, you’re probably a dick). Chris Weidman is the honest, down-to-earth, anti-steroid-crusading champion that this sport needs right now, and better yet, he’s incredibly skilled to boot.

Matched up against a significantly less bulky but still scary Vitor Belfort, Weidman once again walked the walk in a savage one round thrashing of the legend and former light heavyweight champion. As most of us expected, Belfort came out like a man on fire early, unleashing a vicious barrage on Weidman against the cage that opened him up above his left eye. When the champ emerged from the blitzkrieg without even the slightest look of concern on his face, however, you could practically see the life drain from Vitor’s eyes. The fight was already over. Weidman secured a beautifully-timed takedown, quickly passed to mount, and unleashed the finishing shots from above that seemed to say “F*ck your 1200 ng/dL, I run this town.”

Weidman’s mental resolve is truly a thing to behold, and will hopefully see him to many a title defense down the line. If he can stay healthy, that is.

“Don’t ever f*cking say you’re sorry. You better go get that [belt] now. It’s your job.”

Those were the congratulatory words that Travis Browne offered Andrei Arlovski, his longtime friend, after being TKO’d by the Belarusian in what should easily be considered the frontrunner for “Fight of the Year” so far. In a fight that saw both men nearly finished, Arlovski continued his improbable run toward the heavyweight title with a brilliant upset of the #3 ranked heavyweight. I really have no words to describe how awesome this fight was, so let’s all just watch it a half dozen times in a row instead.

As is the case with Chris Weidman, I think it’s time we all stop doubting Arlovski and join the team.

So what are we left with now? Well for starters, an era in which names like Arlovski, Cerrone, and Bader (not to mention, Edgar and Lawler) have become part of their respective title pictures. Despite our apparent need for the UFC to create new stars, it seems we are equally content to rally around the ones who’ve been apart of the game for as long as many of us have been fans. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The full results for UFC 187 are below.

Main Card (on Pay-Per-View)
Daniel Cormier def. Anthony Johnson by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:39, R3
Chris Weidman def. Vitor Belfort via TKO (strikes) at 2:53, R1
Donald Cerrone def. John Makdessi via TKO (head kick) at 4:44, R2
Andrei Arlovski def. Travis Browne via TKO (strikes) at 4:41, R1
Joseph Benavidez def. John Moraga via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), R3

Preliminary Card (on FOX Sports 1)
John Dodson def. Zack Makovsky via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), R3
Dong Hyun Kim def. Josh Burkman via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 2:13, R3
Rafael Natal def. Uriah Hall via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28), R3
Rose Namajunas (2-2) vs. Nina Ansaroff (6-4) — CANCELLED
Colby Covington def. Mike Pyle by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27), R3

Preliminary Card (on UFC Fight Pass)
Islam Makhachev def. Leo Kuntz via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:38, R2
Justin Scoggins def. Josh Sampo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), R3

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UFC 187: What We Learned, Loved and Hated

UFC 187 is now in the books, and our summer of UFC overload is just beginning. But in a sea of what should be mostly memorable UFC events seemingly every weekend for the next four months, UFC 187 will no doubt stand out in our memories, because it was …

Let’s take a look at what we loved, learned and hated from one of the better UFC main cards in recent memory.

LEARNED: Chris Weidman is now a legitimate UFC superstar…or he should be, anyway

Last week, I spent time with Chris Weidman and his camp while reporting for the profile of the middleweight champion published Friday afternoon. If there is one surprising thing I learned about the UFC’s middleweight champion and those who surround him, it’s that they didn’t quite understand why the American public at large hasn’t latched on and turned him into a next-level UFC superstar.

He is young. He is good-looking. He is quite good at fighting. He has beaten Anderson Silva two times; that alone should have been enough to vault him into superstardom. But it didn’t, and Weidman went into his title defense against Vitor Belfort feeling a little disrespected and a little angry.

Maybe it’s the New York thing. Those of us in the parts of the country that are not New York are trained to chafe at the sound of the New Yawk accent, and maybe that feeling of “New York against the World” works against Weidman. But after Saturday, when he left Belfort lying in a pool of his own blood (and perhaps putting an emphatic end to the era of performance-enhancing drugs in the UFC in the process), Weidman implored the rest of the world to join his team, and noted that he’s not going to ask again.

If Weidman’s career arc so far isn’t enough to convince you that he’s worthy of your time, your dollars and your respect, well, I don’t know what to tell you. In short order, he has ascended the list of greatest UFC champions. This is not to say he is approaching the list of the best pound-for-pound fighters ever, or even that he’s the top fighter currently in the sport.

But he’s up there, and he’s marketable, and he is a breathtaking fighter. And if you’re staying off the team or claiming Weidman is anything but one of the best fighters currently in the sport, well, I don’t know how to help you.

LOVED: Andrei Arlovski, Travis Browne combine for the best one-round fight ever

It was Thursday afternoon when a friend here in Vegas, one who is well-connected to various camps in the fight industry, mentioned that Andrei Arlovski had injured his calf on Wednesday morning and nearly pulled out of his fight with Travis Browne. And I thought to myself, well, perhaps that is for the best if he does pull out, because Browne is probably going to hurt this old man badly. Maybe sitting in his hotel room or watching from Hooters across the street wasn’t the worst idea for Mr. Arlovski.

Instead of surrounding himself with chicken wings, cigarette smoke and a lack of self-respect (all three things are in abundance at Hooters), Arlovski chose to fight. Thank the violence gods he made this decision, because what he ended up participating in was one of the best single-round fights in the history of the UFC.

Certainly, it was a bout that will be remembered at the end of the year when various phantom awards are handed out across the world. It had everything: an aging underdog and former champion somehow hurting the young, manly bearded super-prospect and sending the crowd in attendance into raptures. Arlovski continued hurting Browne, even making him do this little wobbly legged jig that made me laugh out loud right there, in the middle of all that violence and shouting.

And then Browne, perhaps sensing his own impending doom, fought back like an animal, swinging his fists blindly and hoping he’d hit something, anything. He did, and what he hit was Arlovski’s face, and the former heavyweight champion went down in a heap. But then Arlovski got back up and regained something resembling his senses and stopped Browne, finally, mercifully, to continue one of the more unlikely career rebound stories I can remember.

After the fight, and before Bruce Buffer read the official decision, Arlovski apologized to Browne. Specifically for what, I do not know, though I can only imagine it had something to do with shaving a few years off Browne’s career by beating the crap out of him and preventing him from reaching the heavyweight division’s championship tier just yet.

“Don’t you ever apologize,” Browne said.

I agree. Don’t you ever apologize, Andrei. Not when you deliver heart-stopping performances like this one.

HATED: Antics are now a substitute for actual performances

I am a longtime fan of professional wrestling. My writing career began in high school, when I started “covering” pro wrestling on newsgroups (raise your hand if you remember newsgroups) and on AOL chat rooms and message boards. That was a long time ago, of course, though I still watch wrestling (mostly the WWE’s developmental program, NXT) to this day.

The point is that I understand promotion and how to promote fights. I have always been a huge proponent of fighters taking their careers into their own hands, and I shudder when Joe Rogan or Jon Anik, during a post-fight interview, ask them who they want to fight and they mutter something about the matchmakers and how it’s not their job to call other fighters out when yes, it is absolutely their job to call other fighters out.

But what I’m not a fan of is fighters bypassing hard work because they believe they can just act like a fool and earn big fights and title shots. They believe this because it’s true, of course, and never has this been more evident than when Ryan Bader rushed the stage during the post-fight press conference and set up a moment with Daniel Cormier that teetered between embarrassing and sad.

It was sad not because of Cormier, who is a longtime pro wrestling fan and is perhaps one of the absolute best in the sport at selling himself, his opponents and the moment through his work on the microphone.

The sad part was watching people—including media members who’d previously scoffed at the notion of Bader deserving a title shot—suddenly change their tune and froth at the mouth over the idea of Cormier and Bader facing off.

Bader hasn’t faced top competition and doesn’t deserve a title shot. Wait, they screamed at each other and made us laugh during a press conference? They sent mean tweets to each other? Oh my sweet Jesus, I can’t wait to see them fight.

That’s where the sport stands in 2015. Bader hasn’t beaten anyone of note; his best career win was a split decision over Phil Davis, and that should tell you all you need to know about his standing in the division. And yet he’ll probably get the chance to be destroyed by Cormier, all because he sent a bunch of tweets directed at the new champion and then acted like an idiot at a press conference.

If you weren’t certain before, you should be now: We’re all a bunch of marks.

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