Ben Rothwell is putting a whole new meaning behind his nickname “Big Ben.”
The former UFC heavyweight contender and now Bare Knuckle FC fighter is very much enjoying the change in rule set that came with leaving the UFC to compete in bare-knuckle boxing. But the rules go beyond what’s seen in the ring come fight night.
Rothwell has no weight limit competing as a heavyweight. In the UFC, he would have to weigh under 266 pounds, but those days are clearly gone as he registered 292 on the scale for his debut earlier this month at BKFC 30, a fight he won in just 19 seconds.
“Even in the world of MMA, I was a super heavyweight,” Rothwell told MMA Junkie Radio. “But we’re in boxing now, baby. I get to be me. I could tell. I know you guys and other people, you were a little worried about me (like), ‘What is this guy doing?’ No, you see it didn’t affect my speed.”
Rothwell, 40, is unsure when he’ll make his second appearance in BKFC, but one thing is certain: He’s happy with the move, and his body is thanking him for it.
“That was my body begging for many years, crying and begging, ‘Ben, stop making me cut 30 pounds. This f*cking sucks,'” Rothwell said. “People think, ‘Oh, heavyweights just take a sh*t to make weight.’ Well, yeah, guys that are 260, 270. As you can see, maybe in a different life I was supposed to be a 330-pound defensive lineman. People don’t understand how fast I can run a (40-yard dash). When I was younger, I was running a (4.4-second) 40 at 280 pounds. It’s true.
“I feel good, natural at 290 pounds. I know that freaks people out, because there’s not many 290-pound guys that do what I can do.”
