Ben Rothwell gets his big break tonight at UFC 104 against Cain Velasquez. (Picture courtesy of WiCombatSports.com)
Ben Rothwell wanted to make his stint in the UFC mean something.
He wasn’t just going to jump into the world’s largest fighting organization just for the sake of doing it. Rothwell wanted to make an impact immediately and, he hopes, to finish his career inside of the Octagon.
“I’m excited to finally be here. There were two big opportunities. Managerment decided and myself that we needed to wait,” Rothwell (30-6) said. “I didn’t want to be a guy to just happy to be in the UFC. My objective is to come in as somebody and finish my career here. The only way is if you win fights and make a name for yourself. I did something right. I don’t think it just happens. I plan on being around for a while.”
Rothwell wants to show that he has arrived and will face a huge test in fellow heavyweight contender Cain Velasquez at UFC 104 inside of the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Velasquez (6-1) is highly considered one of the top young prospects in the company, but Rothwell is fully aware of what a victory would mean to his chances of getting another high profile bout.
“I want to fight the names. I want to be a name in the UFC. You have to be in there fighting guys you know. … The fight for me has more meaning [than fighting a no-name],” said Rothwell, who added that his past success was validated by having his image brandish the poster hyping the event. “It’s just extra fuel and motivation. It’s all positive for me.”
Rothwell’s fight will mark the end of a 10-month layoff. His last bout was on Dec. 11, 2008, but the time off doesn’t seem to bother him, considering it was similar to when he fought Andrei Arlovski.
Rothwell pushed the former UFC heavyweight champion, before falling prey to a fight-ending uppercut.
But Rothwell welcomes these long stretches because there was a time where he had no time to rest and recover.
From 2005 to 2007, Rothwell fought 14 times — a grueling schedule for any fighter, especially one considered to be one of the top 10 heavyweights in the world.
Rothwell said the training was more draining than the actual fights, and it started to take the fun away from something he loved.
“Instead of being something I’m passionate about, it became a job,” he said. “It was a problem. I was relieved when I got some time off. I like to break it down three or four times a year.”
With the UFC, he may get his wish. Most UFC fighters don’t usually fight more than three to four times a year, unless they’re taking fights on short notice and constantly performing.
“I’m happy to be in that situation,” Rothwell said. “As far as my career goes, it’s been a roller coaster.”
Shortly after Affliction shut its promotional doors, Rothwell said Joe Silva and the UFC approached him about coming into the company, signaling the next stage of his ride.
It didn’t take long for Rothwell to give his answer.
“It was time to go,” he said. “I was done with trying to fight with everyone else. The time is now.”
