Rothwell, never more than a contender in the UFC, had still been a popular fighter, and appeared to have found a new lease on his fighting life in bareknuckle, going 4-0 for BKFC.

Arlovski, 47, was 1-0 in bareknuckle (and 1-0 as a boxer) as he entered a title fight over 20 years after winning the UFC crown. Ageless wonder indeed. Though at 44, Rothwell was no spring chicken himself.

The pair had met twice previously, with Arlovski defeating “Big Ben” twice in MMA.

Not a lot of feeling out, as the two big men got right down to work in the Knuckle Mania VI main event. Arlovski had Ben in trouble early, landing a hook and backing him up to the ropes. A couple of clinches followed, then Rothwell swung wild and missed. Arlovski punched his way in, finding more success. Rothwell, however, connected to the side of the head with a right hand. Another right hand would see Rothwell stagger back prior to the bell to end round one.

The second started scrappy, with both men firing frequently. Rothwell landed a counter, but Arlovski repeatedly found a home for his right hand. “The Pitbull” had his jab going as well, and looked to be the faster man. Rothwell was cut open, blood running down his forehead and around his eye.

The back half of round two was all Arlovski, with Rothwell frequently under fire. And starting round three, the ringside physician was brought in to check the damage on Rothwell, particularly around his eye, though he was allowed to continue.

Arlovski had plenty of pep in his step in the third, driving forward repeatedly, working his right hand with his jab. Big Ben was bleeding again, face a crimson mask. That brought the doctor in again, and this time, he called it. Tons of damage on Rothwell, while Arlovski appeared to barely have a scratch. Solid movement for a 47-year old who clearly came prepared.

The ageless Andrei Arlovski does it again, earning the BKFC heavyweight title at the promotion’s flagship event.

Official Result: Andrei Arlovski def. Ben Rothwell by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 3, 1:14

The post BKFC KnuckleMania 6: Andrei Arlovski Bloodies Ben Rothwell, Wins Heavyweight Title appeared first on Cageside Press.

“The Underground King,” whose post-UFC career included a brief stint in ONE Championship, arrived on the bareknuckle scene in 2023, going 1-1 in BKFC with a win over Chad Mendes followed by a loss to Mike Perry for the symbolic “King of Violence” title (basically the BKFC’s take on the UFC’s BMF championship). At 41, Alvarez is well out of his prime, his best years behind him, but fighting at home in Philly against an equally worn Stephens might just produce an entertaining scrap.

As for the co-main event, it’s hard to see heavyweight champ Mick Terrill vs. “Big” Ben Rothwell going the distance. Rothwell, another former UFC star, actually asked for this release from the MMA powerhouse with a fight on the books. He immediately became a player in BKFC, earning three finishes in three fights, most recently against fellow UFC alum Todd Duffee.

Early on in BKFC’s run, “Rowdy” Bec Rawlings, an Ultimate Fighter 20 and UFC alum, earned the nickname “The Queen of Bareknuckle” as she became the promotin’s first female champ winning the Police Gazette Women’s Featherweight World Championship as well as the World Boxing Foundation Latin American championship by BKFC 4 in 2019. After leaving the promotion briefly, she returned, only to come up short in two chances at the BKFC flyweight championship. At BKFC KnuckleMania 5, she’s been paired up with the ever-popular Taylor Starling, a two-time title challenger. If nothing else, the winner jumps back in the win column.

Where to Watch BKFC KnuckleMania 5

Saturday, January 25, 2025 sees BKFC KnuckleMania 5 takes place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. The card airs live on DAZN starting at 8PM ET, 5PM PT. Full results from the event can be found below.

BKFC KnuckleMania 5 Results

Jeremy Stephens def. Eddie Alvarez by TKO (corner stoppage), Round 3, 2:00
Ben Rothwell def. Mick Terrill (c) by KO Round 1, 0:36 – for the BKFC heavyweight championship
Bec Rawlings def. Taylor Starling by unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 49-45)
Pat Brady def. Zach Calmus by TKO, Round 1, 0:53
John Garbarino def. Apostle Spencer by KO, Round 1, 0:59
Kaine Tomlinson Jr. def. Pat Sullivan by KO, Round 1, 0:37
Steve Banks def. Joey Dawejko by TKO, Round 3, 1:54
Dustin Pague vs. JD Burns
Brandon Meyer def. Zed Montanez by KO, Round 2, 0:39
Travis Thompson def. Zach Panell by KO, Round 2, 0:41
Phil Caracappa def. Noah Norman by DQ, Round 4, 0:40
Cody Russell def. Logan Tucker by KO, Round 3, 0:49
Itso Babulaidze def. Bryan McDowell by unanimous decision (48-42, 47-43, 48-42)

The post BKFC KnuckleMania 5 Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

For a fight with considerable build-up that had been rescheduled once previously, it was a bit anti-climactic, even for Rothwell, despite earning a TKO win and apparent title shot.

Asked about what had delayed the bout, “beating a dead horse here, I got sick. And Todd questioned it, he made a lot of remarks about Thanksgiving dinner taking me out, questioned if I was ducking him, things of this nature,” Rothwell told media outlets including Cageside Press following KnuckleMania 4 in Los Angeles on Saturday.

“I’ve been doing this for 20-something years, I’m a professional. I kind of laughed,” added Rothwell, despite the fact that “I still sensed that he really thought that.”

The doubts on the part of Duffee, who lasted less than a round on Saturday, were added motivation for Rothwell, on top of a potential shot at the BKFC heavyweight title.

“I really picked it up, because I wanted to come in and I really had something to prove to him.”

Duffee had also questioned whether Rothwell would make weight ahead of the fight, which seems to have motivated “Big” Ben as well. “Well, I showed up at 275 on Friday. And it’s funny, because not all the guys were there at noon on the dot to weigh in. I was, and Todd was. And Todd was there to watch me weigh in. So I was like, right then and there, I knew I was in his head. And when he’d seen the scale and seen me flex at 275, I seen that I was definitely in his head quite a bit. That’s part of the game, it’s a mental game, you’ve got to be tough and you’ve got to not care about such nonsense.”

Aside from his opponent, Rothwell took umbrage with another fighter at KnuckleMania 4, Lorenzo Hunt, who came up short in a heavyweight title bid on Saturday. Hunt had been talking about A-side an B-sides ahead of the event, with “Big” Ben apparently labeled the latter. “I don’t give a f*ck what side of the table- put me under the table, put me back there, I don’t care. I am what I am. Made up numbers, A-side, B-side, that’s the kind of sh*t that you’ve got to get out of your head. Unfortunately it didn’t go his way. I think all these kind of things add up. A lot of times I’m not the vocal type before a fight, because I’m so focused.”

All that focus and motivation to put on a show, however, also left Rothwell feeling a little let down when all was said and done. “That’s why I was so disappointed. Because I had a lot to show, and I didn’t get to show it,” he explained. “That’s how I feel.”

Of course, Duffee being injured is out of Ben Rothwell’s control. And he’ll have a chance to show it all again, hopefully soon. While no date is set, Rothwell is likely the next opponent for BKFC heavyweight champ Mick Terrell.

“It’s going to be a great fight. I can tell,” Rothwell said of the match-up, noting that he may have dismissed Terrell prematurely in the past, and has seen improvement more recently. Which has Rothwell himself excited. “I’m bringing it. All that really happened tonight is, I’m turning it up, and I’m going to bring the best version [of myself] I’ve ever brought into a combat sport.”

Watch the full BKFC KnuckleMania 4 post-fight press conference with Ben Rothwell above.

The post Ben Rothwell Believes He Was in Todd Duffee’s Head Prior to BKFC KnuckleMania 4 appeared first on Cageside Press.

The bareknuckle boxing behemoth’s KnuckleMania 4 is headlined by “King of Violence” / “Platinum” Mike Perry, who will look to continue a recent surge against Thiago Alves – a former UFC title challenger, and the inaugural BKFC middleweight champion.

Alves will be making his return to action in the bout after being on hiatus since 2021. Perry, meanwhile, earned the “King of Violence” title in a bout with Eddie Alvarez this past December which saw him stop the former UFC and Bellator MMA lightweight champ.

In the co-main event, heavyweight champ Mick Terrill put his title on the line against Lorenzo Hunt, while former UFC stars Ben Rothwell and Todd Duffee were also in action. The bout, originally scheduled for months early, was likely to produce the next tilte challenger in the weight class. Julian Lane, of “Let me bang, bro!” fame and now a BKFC mainstay, was also on the docket, taking on Evgeny Kurdanov in a main card bout.

Where to Watch BKFC KnuckleMania 4

Saturday, April 27, 2024 sees BKFC KnuckleMania 4 take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California. The main card is available on PPV starting at 10PM ET, with the event available via Fite.tv and other outlets. A free preliminary card gets underway at 9PM ET, 6PM PT; full results can be found below.

BKFC KnuckleMania 4: Perry vs. Alves Results

Main Card

Mike Perry def. Thiago Alves by TKO, Round 1, 1:00
Mick Terrill (c) def. Lorenzo Hunt by TKO (injury), Round 1, 1:48 – for the BKFC heavyweight championship
Ben Rothwell def. Todd Duffee by TKO (retirement), Round 1, 0:43
Alfredo Angulo def. Jeremiah Riggs by KO, Round 1, 1:33
Julian Lane def. Evgeny Kurdanov by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 1, 2:00
Crystal Pittman def. Sydney Smith by TKO, Round 1, 0:48
David Diaz vs. Shane Jordan ends in a unanimous draw (47-47, 47-47, 47-47)
Andrew Angelcor def. Ruben Warr by split decision (47-48, 49-46, 48-47)
Daniel Alvarez def. Victor Rosas by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 4, 2:00

Preliminary Card

Vinny Familari def. Fernando Gonzalez by unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45, 49-46)
Tommy Aaron def. Richard Brooks by TKO, Round 2, 1:14
Keith Richardson def. Cody Vidal by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 2, 2:00

The post BKFC KnuckleMania 4: Perry vs. Alves Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Rothwell had been set to face off with fellow UFC alum Duffee back in December, only for an illness to take him out of the fight. Yet while having already prepared for an opponent might feel like studying for a test you’ve already taken, Rothwell told Cageside Press recently that when it comes to bare-knuckle, he doesn’t really do any studying.

“It’s just so different than an MMA fight. There’s not a lot of studying that goes into it,” admitted Rothwell. “It’s very much focused on my conditioning, what I’m going to do. My MMA fights were similar, but in this it’s 100% make my opponent worry [about] what I’m going to do. I’m not worried [about] what they’re going to do, they’re going to worry about what I’m going to do.”

“I’m a force to be reckoned with, when I come forward, I’m next to unstoppable,” added Rothwell. “The only time I f*cking have problems is when I hesitate or I back off. That’s when I had problems in my entire MMA career, and in this, when I come forward, you can’t deal with me.”

It’s been said that bare-knuckle isn’t for everyone, and that doesn’t just apply to fans. Not every fighter wants to throw down without gloves. Rothwell agrees that it takes a certain type.

“I’ll say it’s a fact. I’ve been in mixed martial arts and martial arts in general, I’ve been doing this for 25 years. There’s fighters in the UFC and doing MMA that are very successful that don’t like to get hit, and they’re very good at not getting hit. They use their wrestling, they use submissions and they can win.”

“If you force them in a situation like this where you’re going to get hit, no, they’re not going to do this. There’s fighters that have already said, even boxers that need their hands wrapped. They want no part of this. MMA fighters that don’t want to get hit, they want no part of this. There is a select group of people that do this, and Platinum [Mike] Perry and myself were tailor made for this. It’s not for everybody, and we’re a different breed of people that do do this.”

Check out our interview with BKFC KnuckleMania IV’s Ben Rothwell above.

The post Ben Rothwell Suggests Bare Knuckle Fighters “A Different Breed of People” appeared first on Cageside Press.

Rothwell was expected to throw down with fellow UFC alum Todd Duffee at the event, which takes place at the Maverik Center in Salt Lake City, UT on Saturday, December 2, 2023. Another pair of former UFC notables, Eddie Alvarez and Mike Perry, headline the show.

Rothwell’s withdrawal from the event was announced by BKFC President David Feldman during Thursday’s BKFC 56 press conference.

Oddly enough, Rothwell vs. Duffee was announced as the presser got underway, though only Duffee appeared on stage.

“I do have an unfortunate announcement to make,” Feldman said after taking the mic. “Our co-main event, Ben Rothwell actually came down really, really sick this morning, and he’s not going to be able to compete. We tried to get a last-minute replacement for Todd Duffee, and we just couldn’t line it up, so we’re going to push that fight to February. Sorry to the fans for that one, but we still have a stacked card, an unbelievable main event, and really a lot to be excited about here in Salt Lake City.”

Duffee did not hold back after the news was announced.

“I fought with COVID my last fight, so I really think Ben’s real fight is happening with the scale,” Duffee said. “I think Thanksgiving was his biggest opponent. I don’t know what else to really add to that.”

Todd Duffee was to make his bare-knuckle debut in the fight. The heavyweight has had a rough time getting fights to stay together, and saw an opportunity to fight in RIZIN earlier this year fall through due to visa issues. Before that, he had a fight lined up with Adam Koresh in Israel, but didn’t receive a contract in time. The ex-UFC star did get one fight in under his belt in 2023, losing to a former foe in Phil De Fries under the KSW banner.

“Big” Ben Rothwell is 2-0 under the BKFC banner to date.

The post Ben Rothwell Out of BKFC 56 Fight with Todd Duffee appeared first on Cageside Press.

The Colorado-based Pay-Per-View was arguably the promotion’s most stacked to date, with Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez making their debuts. Rothwell, meanwhile, was in his sophomore outing in the company against Copeland, who had also made a name for himself in the PFL.

The pair clinched up early, with Copeland firing a blistering right off the break. That right hand would land again moments later, and a step-in right after that. Rothwell then exploded forward with a combo, before the pair tied up against the ropes, leading to the ref stepping in. But there was no shortage of action, with both men landing heavy blows in the opening round, leaving Rothwell bloodied.

The biggest surprise through the opening three minutes, perhaps, was that despite all the violence, the fight went three minutes.

The second round saw Ben Rothwell score the first knockdown of the fight, just past the midway mark of another active frame. Smelling blood, Rothwell went right back to work on the restart, but Copeland held on, and went back to his step-in right hand. Rothwell began lighting “Cuddly Bear” up again, however, backing him up to the ropes. Somehow, Copeland made it to the bell in another very active round.

“Big” Ben went right after Copeland in the third, firing uppercuts, right hands, and walking Copeland down. He ripped the body, working over Copeland in a clinch. Copeland was proving incredibly durable, but he was taking a beat. Rothwell had found his rhythm, found his range, and was essentially just teeing up his shots and letting rip at will. The ref took a close look, but Copeland survived the round.

Thankfully for Copeland, who was clearly in “too tough for his own good” territory, his corner preferred to see him live to fight another day. They threw in the towel following the third, giving Ben Rothwell the TKO win.

Following the fight, “Big” Ben called for a title fight with Alan Belcher, current BKFC heavyweight champ. Rothwell added that there’s one opponent he cannot beat, Father Time — so he wants that fight soon.

Official Result: Ben Rothwell def. Josh Copeland by TKO (corner stoppage), Round 3, 3:00

The post BKFC 41: Ben Rothwell Earns TKO Over Incredibly Durable Josh Copeland appeared first on Cageside Press.

Rockhold, who requested his release from the UFC last year, was paired up with a fellow UFC alum in “Platinum” Mike Perry, who had promised to “headbutt” the former Strikeforce champ’s hands in the hopes of breaking them. Alvarez, meanwhile, had a slightly less dramatic build-up to his fight with Chad Mendes, which served as the evening’s co-main event.

For Mendes, his fight against Alvarez had the possibility of being his last in combat sports. Citing other successful business interests, Mendes admitted ahead of BKFC 41 that he doesn’t need to fight, though the money — a key motivator for Chad “Money” Mendes — was good, so nothing was certain.

Alvarez, for his part, was simply looking to turn things around after a disappointing run in ONE Championship, which saw the former Bellator MMA and UFC lightweight champion post a 1-2, 1NC record across four fights.

“Queen of Bareknuckle” Bec Rawlings was also in action at BKFC 41, against Christine Ferea, while “Big” Ben Rothwell looked to make it 2-0 in BKB against fellow UFC veteran Josh Copeland. The hard-hitting Brandon Girtz, a longtime Bellator MMA standout, was paired up with Christian Torres, while Chris Camozzi and Daniel Spohn also faced off.

BKFC 41 takes place on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at the 1STBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado. The card airs live on PPV via Fite.tv. Full results from the event can be found below.

BKFC 41 Results

Main Card

Mike Perry def. Luke Rockhold by TKO (retirement), Round 2, 1:15
Eddie Alvarez def. Chad Mendes by split decision (47-46, 46-47, 47-46)
Christine Ferea (c) def. Bec Rawlings by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 2, 3:00 — for the BKFC women’s flyweight championship
Ben Rothwell def. Josh Copeland by TKO (corner stoppage), Round 3, 3:00
Chris Camozzi def. Daniel Spohn by KO, Round 1, 2:00
Brandon Girtz def. Christian Torres by KO, Round 1, 1:10
James Brown def. Mike Alvarado by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 2, 3:00
Gabrielle Roman vs. Khortni Kamyron ruled a majority draw (48-46, 47-47, 47-47)

Preliminary Card

Marcus Edwards def. Jay Jackson by KO, Round 1, 3:00
Dillon Winemiller def. Matthew Maestas by KO, Round 1, 0:07
Mitch Seybold def. Jack Willoughby by TKO (corner stoppage), Round 1, 1:23

The post BKFC 41: Rockhold vs. Perry Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

As much as some fans will deny it and decry any mention of their shared history being made, pro wrestling and mixed martial arts go back a long, long way. From Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki in 1976, to MMA pioneers like Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn excelling at both art forms, to more modern day stars like Brock Lesnar, Bobby Lashley, and Ronda Rousey, the professions’ histories are intertwined.

That most certainly includes the art of the promo, and a good post-fight promo — callouts especially — can capture fans’ imaginations. But rarely do MMA fighters take the heel route (that’s wrestling parlance for “bad guy”). Oh sure, fighters get fired up, swear, and names like Nick and Nate Diaz have made careers out of it — “where you at, Georges?!?” being just one example. But neither Diaz is playing a heel in those instances, they’re just being themselves.

Actually putting on the bad guy persona and pulling it off, at least to some degree? That’s a different story. Algeo did it pretty darn well at UFC Kansas City this past Saturday — here’s a look at that promo, and some other heel performances in the UFC over the years.

The post Bill Algeo, and the Best Heel Promos in UFC History appeared first on Cageside Press.

“Big” Ben Rothwell had been set to face Josh Watson at the event at the 1stBank Center in Denver, CO on April 29. With injury forcing Watson, who knocked out Greg Hardy this past February, out of the event, UFC and PFL vet Josh Copeland is stepping in to take his place.

Promotion officials recently announced the match-up on social media.

Rothwell (39-14 MMA, 1-0 BKB), a former UFC talent himself, made his BKFC debut last October, absolutely starching Bobo O’Bannon with a 19-second KO. The 41-year old Kenosha, Wisconsin native finished up his career inside the octagon with a loss to Marcos Rogerio de Lima in November of 2021, later asking for his release despite being 3-2 over his last five fights.

A fan-favorite heavyweight, Rothwell, who competed for the IFL and Afflication, competed for the UFC for over a decade, debuting with the company in 2009.

Copeland (18-7-1, 1-0) also made his bare-knuckle debut for BKFC in October of last year, earning a third-round knockout against Levi Costa. In 2018, Copeland, who fought twice for the UFC in the mid-2010s, went to the heavyweight final in the PFL, losing the championship fight against Philip Lins.

BKFC 41 will feature the promotional debuts of recent free agent signings Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez, in addition to women’s flyweight champ Christine Ferea putting her title on the line against the “Queen of Bare-Knuckle” Bec Rawlings. The card currently breaks down as follows:

• Mike Perry vs. Luke Rockhold
• Chad Mendes vs. Eddie Alvarez
• Christine Ferea (c) vs. Bec Rawlings — For the BKFC Women’s Flyweight Championship
• Ben Rothwell vs. Josh Copeland

The post Ben Rothwell Gets New Opponent for BKFC 41, Faces UFC, PFL Vet Josh Copeland appeared first on Cageside Press.