Ben Rothwell Winning With Underdog Label
Ben Rothwell Winning With Underdog Label
By Raphael GarciaWatching fighters unexpectedly rise to great heights is one of the reasons mixed martial arts is a special sport. Upsets can happen at any
By Raphael Garcia
Watching fighters unexpectedly rise to great heights is one of the reasons mixed martial arts is a special sport. Upsets can happen at any moment.
Ben Rothwell is a fighter that continues to succeed despite his regular underdog status. Going into his upcoming bout against Junior dos Santos, Rothwell is once again the underdog.
Though his fighting career began more than 15 years ago, Rothwell remains unable to garner the same level of attention and following as some of his peers. But that hasn’t stopped him from defeating big names such as Alistair Overeem, Ricco Rodriguez, Roy Nelson and most recently, Josh Barnett.
“What I love about my career is that I do have some losses. Those losses created and shaped the martial artist that I am today,” Rothwell said in an interview with FOX Sports. “It feels good to show that, even when you have disappointing performances, you can correct things, and that you can change yourself."
Current heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum is set to defend his title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 198. If Rothwell beats dos Santos—and does so in an impressive fashion—he will undoubtedly be the next championship contender. And Rothwell is already letting Werdum know he’s willing to play his game in the grappling department.
“I know I can win the fight anywhere the fight goes. I couldn't even tell you how many different submissions I can apply during a fight, so I'm extremely dangerous,” Rothwell said. “If Werdum wants, I'll lie down on my back and he can hop in my guard. I'm very confident I'll submit him. If that fight happens, remember me saying this."
Rothwell’s rise up the ladder has been a slow process, but he is finally nearing the top. By the end of 2016, Rothwell could be far more than a perennial underdog; he could be the UFC heavyweight champion.
Ben Rothwell is a fighter that continues to succeed despite his regular underdog status. Going into his upcoming bout against Junior dos Santos, Rothwell is once again the underdog.
Though his fighting career began more than 15 years ago, Rothwell remains unable to garner the same level of attention and following as some of his peers. But that hasn’t stopped him from defeating big names such as Alistair Overeem, Ricco Rodriguez, Roy Nelson and most recently, Josh Barnett.
“What I love about my career is that I do have some losses. Those losses created and shaped the martial artist that I am today,” Rothwell said in an interview with FOX Sports. “It feels good to show that, even when you have disappointing performances, you can correct things, and that you can change yourself."
READ MORE: Junior dos Santos Key To UFC's Heavyweight Division
Current heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum is set to defend his title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 198. If Rothwell beats dos Santos—and does so in an impressive fashion—he will undoubtedly be the next championship contender. And Rothwell is already letting Werdum know he’s willing to play his game in the grappling department.
“I know I can win the fight anywhere the fight goes. I couldn't even tell you how many different submissions I can apply during a fight, so I'm extremely dangerous,” Rothwell said. “If Werdum wants, I'll lie down on my back and he can hop in my guard. I'm very confident I'll submit him. If that fight happens, remember me saying this."
Rothwell’s rise up the ladder has been a slow process, but he is finally nearing the top. By the end of 2016, Rothwell could be far more than a perennial underdog; he could be the UFC heavyweight champion.