BKFC has scheduled Ben Rothwell’s debut.
According to sources, the seasoned MMA heavyweight will face BKFC veteran Bobo O’Bannon at the BKFC 30 event slated for October 1 at Fant Ewing Coliseum in Monroe, Louisiana.
Four months after asking for and receiving his release from the UFC, 40-year-old Rothwell has been booked in a bare-knuckle fight. The Wisconsin native competed in the MMA organization for 12 years, finishing 9-8 in the octagon.
Rothwell discussed why he switched to BKFC in an interview with The MMA Hour when rumors surfaced that he would face three-time UFC title contender Alexander Gustafsson at UFC Vegas 55.
“We asked for our release in February,” Rothwell said.
“I said I’ve only got so many fights, and this fight was just a fight to make money. What is it really going to do if I fight Gustafsson, who is a name, but he’s 0-3 [in his last three fights] and the fight is just a fight. It’s a fight to make money, and I’ve only got so many fights left in me to make money.
“We just asked for our release, and they said there was a period going back and forth – I think it caught them off surprise if anything. I’ve been with them for 13 years. So they granted it to us and they didn’t have to. So I have nothing bad to say. I’ve had a good 13 years being a professional fighter, making my living off of fighting, getting to do something I love and they granted it to us.”
Since the epidemic began, Rothwell has gone 2-2, losing his final UFC fight at UFC Vegas 42 to Marcos Rogerio de Lima by quick TKO.
O’Bannon, often known as the “Bible Belt Brawler,” has a 3-3 record while competing for the BKFC.
At a BKFC Fight Night event in his most recent appearance, he was immediately stopped by a strong Alan Belcher.
Lorenzo Hunt vs. Quentin Henry for the cruiserweight championship is the main event of BKFC 30.