KnuckleMania 6 in Philadelphia brought a familiar matchup back to life. Andrei Arlovski and Ben Rothwell shared the ring for the third time, this time with the BKFC heavyweight title on the line at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Rothwell entered as the champion and had been perfect in bare knuckle competition. Since leaving the UFC in 2021, he built a strong run with four wins and four finishes. Three of those ended in less than a minute. His last appearance was especially quick, a 36 second knockout of Mick Terrill at KnuckleMania 5 that earned him the belt. He also held a knockout win in BKFC over former UFC fighter Todd Duffee.
Arlovski took a different road after his latest UFC exit. He stayed busy across several promotions, including BKFC, Dirty Boxing, and Misfits Boxing. In his first BKFC fight, the former UFC heavyweight champion stopped Josh Copeland in the fourth round at BKFC 76 earlier this year. He also had history with Rothwell, having beaten him once in the UFC and once at the first Affliction event.
Round One
The opening moments were cautious. Both men threw and missed as they looked for timing. Arlovski began to find his range with a steady jab. A clean overhand right pushed Rothwell back toward the ropes. Rothwell swung big but came up empty more than once, while Arlovski stayed calm, mixing punches with short clinch work near the ropes. Late in the round, Arlovski landed a sharp combination that clearly got Rothwell’s attention.
Round Two
Rothwell started the second round with more intent and landed a few solid shots. Arlovski answered by going back to his jab and adding right hands behind it. Blood began to show on Rothwell’s face. Arlovski kept steering the action toward the ropes and continued to score. Another strong combination hurt Rothwell, and he was held up by the ropes as the round closed. The momentum was clearly on Arlovski’s side.
Round Three
By the time the third round began, Rothwell’s face showed the damage. A doctor took a quick look and allowed the fight to continue. Arlovski stayed sharp, kept using his jab, and avoided most of the return fire. He kept breaking Rothwell down with steady punches and pressure.
After another clinch near the ropes, a cut on Rothwell worsened. The referee called the doctor back in to check it. This time, the doctor decided the fight could not continue. The referee waved it off, and Andrei Arlovski was crowned the new BKFC heavyweight champion.
Official Result
Andrei Arlovski defeated Ben Rothwell by TKO due to doctor stoppage in round three at 1:14.
After the Fight
The win added another chapter to Arlovski’s long career and sent a clear message about persistence. When talk turned to what comes next, there was even a light moment. When a possible next fight was mentioned, Arlovski responded, “Nah, man, I just fought, I’m going to see my family.”
Whether the next challenge comes soon or later, Arlovski left KnuckleMania 6 with the belt and another hard earned victory in a career that keeps finding new chapters.
