Tag: UFC News

Off the back of his stunning title victory, BKFC star, Ben Rothwell has revealed he is currently a free agent after his Knucklemania V victory over Mick Terrill — and has offered to put the gloves on to take on former UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou in a monstrous boxing match.

Rothwell, who returned to action over the course of the weekend in Philadelphia, needed just over half a minute to win the promotion’s heavyweight crown in the co-headliner of BKFC Knucklemania V.

Dispatching defending champion, Terrill inside just 36-seconds, Octagon alum, Rothwell improved his record in the organization to four straight victories, however, revealed this evening that he is currently a free agent after his title victory in Pennslyvania.

Ben Rothwell issues boxing challenge to Francis Ngannou next

And as for what’s next for the veteran Wisconsin striker, he wants to take on PFL super fight heavyweight champion, Ngannou — or former two-time world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua in a boxing match, in order to showcase his ability with his hands once more.

“That’s an interesting deal because right now I’m a free agent,” Ben Rothwell told Ariel Helwani for Uncrowned. I very much love the BKFC. I love David Feldman and I would like to continue and to even finish my career. How much time do I got? I don’t know, maybe a year or so. It really depends. 

“But Francis Nganou, Anthony Joshua, guys that beat them guys, any of those. To put gloves on and prove how good at boxing I am would very much kind of be like a bucket list. I just don’t feel like I got to show the boxing world how good of a boxer I really am. Right now, even the BKFC fans, UFC fans, they just say I’m a brawler.

“They don’t understand my precision,” Ben Rothwell explained. “They don’t understand how capable I truly am. But if I got to fight one of them, I think that would be a huge opportunity for me to show the world how good I really am. Before I’m done fighting, I want to bring the most amount of respect to this belt as I can. Beating someone that’s around 17,000 people, this belt’s getting elevated, but I need some names like that. I need to beat some guys like that.”

Former UFC heavyweight contender, Ben Rothwell has revealed he took part in a huge weight cut ahead of BKFC Knucklemania V co-headliner over the weekend, describing his preparation for his fight with Mick Terrill was the “hardest” experience of his life.

Rothwell, a former perennial heavyweight contender during his lengthy tenure with the UFC, made his anticipated return in the BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship) over the course of last weekend, fighting for promotional gold in his first venture to the ring.

Improving to 4-0 in the David Feldman-led promotion, Rothwell managed to scoop the heavyweight championship with a stunning first round knockout win over opponent, Terrill — earning a Knockout of the Night bonus with his devastating 36-second knockout success.

Ben Rothwell reveals massive weight cut for BKFC title fight

However, ahead of the pairing, Rothwell cut weight from a hefty 306lbs to his limit of 275lbs — claiming this evening that the gruelling cut was the “hardest” experience of his entire life.

“Honestly, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Ben Rothwell told Ariel Helwani for Uncrowned. “So it was a 31 pound weight cut. I’m just around 300 pounds a lot. That’s just kind of where I’m at now. You don’t have to make excuses, but I have two very young children, and to keep my family together, I have to help. So that is its own stress.”

“When I went to Denver, I got to leave for a whole month and just focus on myself,” Ben Rothwell explained. “That was great when you got to do that. That just wasn’t in the cards. I couldn’t leave my wife. The children are too hard to deal with right now.”

Depating the Octagon four years prior, during his lenghty stint with the UFC, Rothwell had turned in notable victories over the likes of Brendan Schaub, Brandon Vera, Alistair Overeem, Matt Mitrione, Josh Barnett, Stefan Struve, Ovince Saint Preux, and Chris Barnett.

Unbeaten middleweight star, Bo Nickal has revealed a title fight between Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski is set to serve as the headliner of UFC 314 in April, with the wrestling star claiming he knows “for a fact” the duo will headline the promotion’s return to ‘The Sunshine State’ in a rematch.

Topuria, the current undisputed featherweight champion, has been sidelined since last October, most recently headlining UFC 308 in a title grudge fight with common-foe, former champion, Max Holloway.

As for Volkanovski, the New South Wales technician has been out of action himself since headlining UFC 298, where he suffered his first-ever knockout loss at the featherweight limit in a brutal second round knockout loss against unbeaten finisher, Topuria.

And on a collision course since their UFC 308 face-off in the Octagon after Topuria wasted former titleholder, Holloway, according to the above-mentioned, NIckal — the duo are lined up to fight in the headliner of UFC 314 on April 12.

Bo Nickal claims Ilia Topuria vs. Alexander Volkanovski 2 will headline UFC 314

“Bo Nickal says that Ilia Topuria vs Alexander Volkanovski is official for #UFC314 in Miami in April, and he also wants to fight on that card.

“It’s official, I know for a fact… I know that [Ilia Topuria vs Alexander Volkanovski 2] is happening.”

Nickal’s claims come hot on the heels of comments from former pound-for-pound number one, Volkanovski, who confirmed last week how he plans to make good on his rumored return to action as soon as April.

“So, like, you know, when they’re [the UFC] saying that, they don’t have an exact date [for a return],” Alexander Volkanovski explained. “But, I mean, I’d say in a couple of months, a few months. So, yeah, I think the April date does look good, but, yeah, you never know.”

Former two-time middleweight kingpin, Israel Adesanya insists he is now obsessed with landing the divisional crown for a third time ahead of his return at UFC Saudi Arabia against the surging, Nassourdine Imavov — instead claiming the championship gold “chases” him.

Adesanya, the current number two ranked middleweight contender, has been sidelined since last August, most recently headlining UFC 305 in a title grudge match with the incumbent, Dricus du Plessis.

And suffering a fourth round face crank submission loss to the South African star, Adesanya had previously dropped his championship in a one-sided unanimous decision defeat against another former champion, Sean Strickland.

Israel Adesanya insists he will not chase title fight with win at UFC Saudi Arabia

Slated to return this weekend in Riyadh, Adesanya will take on the streaking Russian contender, Imavov in a high-stakes — potential title eliminator, however, claimed he has no reservations about the potential championship implications the pairing carries.

“Same as I’ve always had, I never really chased the belt,” Israel Adesanya said during an interview with MMA Fighting this week. “I always knew it would come around. I knew what I was going to do in the game. I knew it was going to come around.

“Again now, I just plan on keep winning and it will circle back,” Israel Adesanya explained. “I’m not chasing the belt. But the belt chases me. When I was coming up, I had guys who were at the top that I had to fight to get my chance. They gave me my shot. Now I’m at this point in my career to give him a chance. He gets to fight Israel Adesanya, and it’s the biggest fight of his life.