Ben Rothwell no longer needs to worry about cutting weight now that he’s signed to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC).
Ben Rothwell Praises Non-Existent BKFC Heavyweight Limit
Rothwell signed with BKFC back in April, and made his debut inside the ring earlier this month.
He was victorious in that contest, registering a 19-second victory after weighing in at 292 pounds.
The longtime UFC heavyweight competitor is glad to be competing at his natural “super heavyweight” form now that there is no weight limit in BKFC holding him back.
In the UFC, fighters have a heavyweight limit of 265 pounds. However, Rothwell no longer needs to worry about that holding him back, as he told MMA Junkie.
“Even in the world of MMA, I was a super heavyweight,” Rothwell said. “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 adds that his body is thanking him for the decision to compete at his natural weight at this point in his career.
“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.”
Rothwell competed in the UFC as a top competitor in the division since 2009. However, he asked for and was granted his release from the promotion earlier this year. Now, he seems to have found a new home in BKFC, and is awaiting his second booking under the promotion’s banner.
