In the main event of BKFC's KnuckleMania VI on Saturday, Wisconsin's Ben Rothwell will defend his BKFC heavyweight championship for the first time against long-time rival Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski, live on the BKFC App and the BKFC YouTube page from Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. Sprinkle in the fact that Arlovski is the proud owner of two MMA victories over Rothwell, and Saturday’s headliner becomes even more important for Rothwell.

 

The opportunity to headline such a showcase event isn’t something that Rothwell takes for granted. “I don’t think there’s a bigger cheerleader for BKFC than me. I’ve loved this company since Day 1 and have worked really hard to help it grow. It’s hard to put into words how big this is — it’s not just another fight,” Rothwell says. “And just winning isn’t enough for me either. I’ve got so much respect for BKFC and the promotion’s fans that it’s really important that I go out there and make a statement and give people something to talk about.”

 

Is Rothwell feeling the heat of the moment? “No more than usual. There’s always pressure. If you don’t feel that, you shouldn’t be in there fighting,” he offers. “Every fight is a must-win fight for me. I’m at a stage in my career where it probably only makes sense for me to continue fighting if I continue winning. It can be a long road back to the top, so I’m working as hard as I can to be at the top of my game.”

 

Rothwell has accomplished more in combat sports than the vast majority of athletes ever will. So what drives him after so many years and competitions? “It’s been so cool to see the growth of BKFC — from humble beginnings, to being a major player in the combat sports arena — and it’s given me an amazing platform to make the fans go wild and put them on their feet. That’s what drives me,” he says. “Going out there and seeing that excitement that you created is something that money can’t buy.”