Ben Rothwell (born October 17, 1981) is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a

Heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 3 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the W ...

. He most notably had a 17 bout stint in the

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

and competed for the

Quad Cities Silverbacks The Quad Cities Silverbacks was an International Fight League team based in the Quad Cities region of the United States. Coached by former UFC Welterweight Champion and founder of the very successful Miletich Fighting Systems camp, Pat Miletich, ...

of the IFL where he held an undefeated 9–0 record before leaving the promotion due to a contract dispute. He has also had one-fight stints in Affliction, M-1 Global, and

King of the Cage King of the Cage (KOTC) is a mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion based in Southern California, United States. History KOTC was founded in 1998 by Terry Trebilcock. KOTC features mostly amateur as well as up and coming MMA stars and former mains ...

Background

Rothwell is from Kenosha, Wisconsin, and both of his parents work in the restaurant business. His parents own a catering company. He is of Norwegian and Irish descent. Rothwell was an active child but suffered a bout with spinal

meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Other symptoms include confusion or ...

when he was six years old. He was in a coma and temporarily blind, while the disease made him almost obese. The young Rothwell, who struggled with his weight and identity in his adolescent years, was also troubled growing up and was often involved in fighting and violence at Westosha Central High School. By the time he was a junior in high school, Rothwell knew that he enjoyed fighting, and in 1999, at the age of 17, he began learning

self-defense Self-defense (self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English) is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force ...

. In July of that same year, after he had been in three professional fights, he and a friend were involved in a car accident with a drunk driver. Rothwell's friend, who was 19 years old, died two weeks later, and Rothwell suffered a significant head injury, in addition to broken ribs. The event changed Rothwell's life, causing him to feel as though he has a purpose to complete.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Rothwell began his training in September 1999, before joining Miletich Fighting Systems in 2002. Rothwell made his professional debut in early 2001 in his home state of Wisconsin and dominated his opponent, winning by TKO only 21 seconds into the fight. He then won his next three fights, all under two minutes into the first round and all with strikes. Rothwell then faced future two-time

UFC Heavyweight Champion Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight class ...

and fellow Miletich Fighting Systems fighter, Tim Sylvia. Rothwell was handed his first career loss in a decision. However, he bounced back and won his next seven fights, all by submission or TKO, before a unanimous decision loss to

Mike Whitehead Michael Joe Whitehead (born June 29, 1981) is a former professional mixed martial artist. He competed in the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight weight classes for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, IFL, Affliction, and Strikeforce. Mixed ...

. After defeating former King of the Cage Super Heavyweight Champion, Dan Bobish by knockout, Rothwell was soon invited to compete in the International Fight League to fight for the Quad City Silverbacks, coached by the legendary Pat Miletich. Like several other fighters in the promotion, Rothwell was competing for the coach who he trained regularly.

International Fight League

On April 29, 2006, Rothwell made his IFL debut against future UFC veteran, the Polish-Canadian fighter, Krzysztof Soszynski. In the first round, Soszynski surprisingly decided to exchange strikes with Rothwell, and landed a left

uppercut The uppercut (formerly known as the undercut; sometimes also referred to as the ''upper'') is a punch used in boxing that travels along a vertical line at the opponent's chin or solar plexus. It is, along with the cross, one of the two main pu ...

and held his own until he was knocked down by a short left hook from Rothwell, who then slammed Soszynski to the canvas. After working from side control and then standing again, Rothwell landed a series of punches at the end of the round, that knocked down Soszynski, and then followed this up with more punches to his downed opponent. Despite the round ending, referee Dan Miragliotta called a stop to the contest, granting Rothwell the win via TKO. After racking up four consecutive IFL wins, he fought future '' The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights'' winner and IFL Heavyweight Champion Roy Nelson, winning via split decision. His next fight was a rematch from almost five years earlier against veteran Travis Fulton, owner of 195 career victories. Three minutes into the second round, Rothwell secured a

kimura Kimura (written: lit. "tree village") is the 17th most common Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: *, Japanese novelist *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese botanist *, Japanese idol and singer *, Japanese footballer *, Japanes ...

, causing Fulton to submit. Rothwell then met Krzysztof Soszynski in a rematch of his IFL debut. Rothwell once again won via TKO, only 13 seconds into the bout. His last fight in the IFL came against former

, Ricco Rodriguez in the team finals. After controlling the fight and displaying superior striking, Rothwell won the fight via unanimous decision. However, the Silverbacks fell short of a victory and lost the championship to

Renzo Gracie Renzo Gracie (; born March 11, 1967) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. A member of the Gracie family of Brazil, Renzo is a 7th Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Carlos Gracie Jr. He is the ...

New York Pitbulls The New York Pitbulls were an International Fight League team based in NYC, New York. Coached by Brazilian Jiu Jitsu expert and MMA veteran Renzo Gracie, the Pitbulls were one of four teams competing in the IFL's inaugural season. Record/Roste ...

. This was Rothwell's last appearance in the IFL, as he eventually left the organization due to a contract dispute. During his time in the IFL, Rothwell had a 9–0 record.

Affliction

After leaving the IFL, Rothwell joined Affliction where he appeared in only one bout, against former

Andrei Arlovski, Rothwell lost the fight via knockout due to an uppercut in the final round. This ended Rothwell's 13-fight win streak and gave him his first defeat in over three years.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Rothwell made his UFC debut on October 24, 2009, at UFC 104 against undefeated Cain Velasquez losing via TKO one minute into round two. The stoppage was controversial because Rothwell seemed to be getting to his feet as Steve Mazzagatti stopped the fight. Rothwell was visibly upset with Mazzagatti's decision to stop the fight. After the fight, UFC president

Dana White Dana Frederick White Jr. (born July 28, 1969) is an American businessman who serves as president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a global mixed martial arts organization. In August 2019, White's net worth was estimated at $500 mil ...

stated that Mazzagatti was the "worst referee in the history of combat sports". Rothwell was expected to face Mirko Filipović on February 21, 2010, at UFC 110. However, Rothwell had to withdraw from the event, just days prior, due to an illness and was replaced by Anthony Perosh. Rothwell then fought

Gilbert Yvel Gilbert Ramon Yvel (born 30 June 1976) is a Dutch professional mixed martial artist. A professional competitor since 1997, Yvel competed in the PRIDE Fighting Championships, Affliction, the UFC, Road FC, the RFA, RINGS, M-1 Challenge, Cage ...

on June 15, 2010, at UFC 115 where he won by unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, and 29–28). Rothwell tore his ACL during his first takedown attempt, which required post-fight surgery. Rothwell also suffered a deviated septum from a head kick during the first round. After an extended layoff, Rothwell fought

Mark Hunt Mark Richard Hunt (born 23 March 1974) is a New Zealand former mixed martial artist and kickboxer of Samoan descent, currently living in Sydney, Australia. Hunt competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) until 2018 and was the w ...

on September 24, 2011, at

UFC 135 ''UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 24, 2011 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Background The Ultimate Fighting Championship had its first ever event in ...

. He lost the fight via unanimous decision. Rothwell then faced Brendan Schaub on April 21, 2012, at UFC 145. He won the fight via knockout in round one. Rothwell also earned '' Knockout of the Night'' honors for his performance. Rothwell was expected to face Travis Browne at UFC on Fox: Shogun vs. Vera, but pulled out due to an injury Rothwell faced

Gabriel Gonzaga Gabriel Gonzaga Santos Nogueira (; born 18 May 1979) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, who competed in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is perhaps best known for his upset head-kick knockout of M ...

on January 19, 2013, at UFC on FX: Belfort vs. Bisping He lost the fight via submission in the second round. Rothwell faced

Brandon Vera Brandon Michael Vera (born October 10, 1977), or also known by his ring name as The Truth, is a Filipino-American (of Italian heritage) retired mixed martial artist where he was the inaugural ONE Heavyweight Champion and the 2005 WEC Heavywe ...

UFC 164 ''UFC 164: Henderson vs. Pettis 2'' was a mixed martial arts event held on August 31, 2013, at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Background The main event was expected to be a UFC Lightweight Championship bout between the c ...

on August 31, 2013. He won the fight via TKO by punches in round three. Subsequent to the bout, Rothwell tested positive for elevated testosterone levels. The UFC suspended Rothwell for nine months, despite the Wisconsin commission only issuing him with an administrative warning. Rothwell was briefly linked to a bout with

Ruslan Magomedov Ruslan Gadzhimagomedovich Magomedov (russian: Руслан Гаджимагомедович Магомедов; born 26 November 1986 in Dagestan) is a Russian mixed martial artist, who competes in the Heavyweight division. Magomedov was the f ...

for on August 30, 2014, at

UFC 177 ''UFC 177: Dillashaw vs. Soto'' was a mixed martial arts event held on August 30, 2014, at the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California. Background The event was originally planned to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, ...

. However, on July 9, the UFC announced he would face

Alistair Overeem Alistair Cees Overeem (born 17 May 1980) is a Dutch professional heavyweight mixed martial artist and kickboxer, currently competing in the heavyweight division of Glory. He is a former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, Dream Heavyweight Cha ...

on September 5, 2014, at

UFC Fight Night 50 The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

. Rothwell won the fight via TKO in the first round. The win also earned Rothwell his first ''Performance of the Night'' bonus award. Rothwell faced

Matt Mitrione Matthew Steven Mitrione (born July 15, 1978) is an American mixed martial artist and former American football player, who competed for both the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and most recently for Bellator MMA. Prior to embarking on an M ...

on June 6, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 68. He won the fight via submission in the first round, the first submission win of his UFC career. Rothwell was expected to face Stipe Miocic on October 24, 2015, at

UFC Fight Night 76 ''UFC Fight Night: Holohan vs. Smolka'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 76'') was a mixed martial arts event held on October 24, 2015, at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. Background The event was the third that the organization has hosted in Dublin, ...

. However, Miocic pulled out of the fight on October 13 citing injury. Subsequently, Rothwell was removed from the card the following day after the promotion deemed that a suitable opponent could not be arranged on short notice. Rothwell next faced

Josh Barnett Joshua Lawrence Barnett (born November 10, 1977) is an American mixed martial artist, submission grappler, professional wrestler and color commentator currently signed to Bellator MMA, where he competes in their Heavyweight division. Barnett p ...

on January 30, 2016, at

UFC on Fox 18 ''UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Bader'' (also known as ''UFC on Fox 18'') was a mixed martial arts event held on January 30, 2016, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Background The event was headlined by a potential UFC Light Heavyweight ...

. He won the fight in the second round due to a guillotine choke, making Rothwell the only fighter to ever stop Barnett with a submission hold during Barnett's lengthy MMA career. The win also earned Rothwell his second ''Performance of the Night'' bonus award. Rothwell faced

Junior dos Santos Junior dos Santos (; born 30 January 1984) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and professional wrestler who competes in the Heavyweight division of Eagle FC. As a mixed martial artist, he is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion; as a profession ...

on April 10, 2016, at

UFC Fight Night 86 ''UFC Fight Night: Rothwell vs. dos Santos'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 86'') was a mixed martial arts event held on April 10, 2016, at the Arena Zagreb in Zagreb, Croatia. Background The event was the first that the organization has host ...

. He lost the fight via unanimous decision. Rothwell was expected to face

Fabrício Werdum Fabrício Werdum (; born 30 July 1977) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC Heavyweight Champion who competes in the Heavyweight division. He is also a 4-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, a two-time Abu Dhabi Combat Club Wo ...

on September 10, 2016, at

UFC 203 The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

. However, Rothwell pulled out of the fight on August 11 citing a knee injury and was replaced by Travis Browne. The bout with Werdum was rescheduled and expected to take place on May 13, 2017, at

UFC 211 ''UFC 211: Miocic vs. dos Santos 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on May 13, 2017, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Background The event was the fourth that the UFC has host ...

. However, the bout was canceled due to Rothwell failing a drug test. On April 6, 2018, it was announced Rothwell had accepted a two-year suspension from

USADA The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA, ) is a non-profit, non-governmental 501(c)(3) organization and the national anti- doping organization (NADO) for the United States. To protect clean competition and the integrity of sport and prevent ...

, retroactive to February 6, 2017. Having served his suspension, Rothwell returned to face

Blagoy Ivanov Blagoy Ivanov ( bg, Благой Александров Иванов; born October 9, 1986) is a Bulgarian mixed martial artist and Sambo (martial art), Sambo practitioner. He is currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UF ...

on March 9, 2019, at

UFC Fight Night 146 ''UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. dos Santos'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 146'' or ''UFC on ESPN+ 4'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on March 9, 2019 at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita ...

. He lost the fight by unanimous decision. A rematch with Andrei Arlovski took place on July 20, 2019, at

UFC on ESPN 4 UFC on ESPN: dos Anjos vs. Edwards (also known as ''UFC on ESPN 4'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on July 20, 2019 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. Background The event ma ...

. He lost the fight via unanimous decision. Rothwell faced

Stefan Struve Stefan Jaimy Struve (; born February 18, 1988) is a Dutch former mixed martial artist who competed as a heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). At , he is the tallest fighter in the history of the UFC. Background Growing up in th ...

on December 7, 2019, at

UFC on ESPN 7 ''UFC on ESPN: Overeem vs. Rozenstruik'' (also known as '' UFC on ESPN 7'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on December 7, 2019 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., United States ...

. He won the fight via technical knockout in round two. The finish was controversial as Rothwell had accidentally hit Struve in the groin twice and was docked one point for these infractions in the second round. The referee encouraged the compromised Struve to continue, resulting in a finish for Rothwell late in the second round. Rothwell was scheduled to face

Gian Villante Gianpiero Villante (born August 18, 1985) is a retired American mixed martial artist who previously fought in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional from 2009 to 2021, he also has competed for Strikeforce ...

on April 18, 2020, at

UFC 249 ''UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on May 9, 2020 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. It was originally planned to ...

. However, the event and Rothwell's scheduled bout against Villante was cancelled due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

. Rothwell faced

Ovince Saint Preux Ovince Saint Preux (born April 8, 1983) is a Haitian-American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division of the UFC. A professional competitor since 2008, Saint Preux has also formerly competed for Strikef ...

at UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Teixeira on May 13, 2020. He won the fight via split decision. Rothwell faced

Marcin Tybura Marcin Tybura (born November 9, 1985) is a Polish professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Heavyweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2011, Tybura previously fought fo ...

on October 11, 2020 at

UFC Fight Night 179 ''UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 179'', ''UFC on ESPN+ 37'' and ''UFC Fight Island 5'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on October 11, 2020 at ...

. He lost the fight via unanimous decision. Rothwell was scheduled to face

Philipe Lins Luiz Philipe Lins Pimentel do Amaral (born August 17, 1985) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, who competes in the light heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He won the 2018 Professional Fighters League heavyweight tourna ...

on March 13, 2021, at

UFC Fight Night 187 ''UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Muhammad'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 187'', ''UFC on ESPN+ 45'' and ''UFC Vegas 21'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 13, 2021 at the UF ...

. However, during the week leading up to the event the bout was removed from the card due to undisclosed reasons. The pairing remained intact and the bout was rescheduled on May 8, 2021, at

UFC on ESPN 24 ''UFC on ESPN: Rodriguez vs. Waterson'' (also known as ''UFC on ESPN 24'' and ''UFC Vegas 26'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on May 8, 2021, at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, ...

. While Rothwell made weight without issue, Lins never showed up to the weigh-ins and withdrew from the bout due to an illness. The bout was rescheduled again for May 22, 2021 at UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Garbrandt. However, yet again, Lins was pulled from the event for undisclosed reason and he was replaced by newcomer Askhar Mozharov. Just hours later, the Ukrainian announced he would not be able to get a visa in time for the event, and he was replaced by

Chris Barnett Christopher James Barnett (born June 14, 1986) is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Background Barnett was born in Zaragoza, Spain, where his father was ...

. He won the fight via guillotine choke submission in the second round. Rothwell faced

Marcos Rogério de Lima Marcos Rogério de Lima (born May 25, 1985) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional since 2009, he formerly competed for Strikeforce, Shooto, and was a co ...

on November 13, 2021, at

UFC Fight Night 197 The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MM ...

. After Rothwell was stunned multiple times on the feet, referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight, though he allowed Rothwell to attempt a takedown before officially calling off the fight as a TKO win for Lima. Rothwell was scheduled to face Alexander Gustafsson on May 21, 2022 at

UFC Fight Night 206 ''UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Vieira'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 206'', ''UFC on ESPN+ 64'' or ''UFC Vegas 55'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on May 21, 2022, at the UFC Apex f ...

. However, at the end of March, it was announced that Rothwell asked for his release and it was granted from the UFC.

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

On April 25, 2022 it was announced that Rothwell joined

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is an American bare-knuckle boxing promotion based in Philadelphia. BKFC is the first promotion to hold an official state-sanctioned and commissioned bare-knuckle boxing event in the United States since 1 ...

Personal life

Rothwell attended

Waukesha County Technical College Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) is a public community college in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. The college has campuses in Waukesha and Pewaukee. It is a member of the Wisconsin Technical College System. Accreditation WCTC is accredited ...

where he earned a technical degree in collision repair. Aside from working in his parents' restaurant, he worked in a body shop and as a labor union construction worker in Chicago, Illinois. Rothwell is married and has a daughter, and a son Odin (born 2021). Currently, Rothwell and his wife own Rothwell Mixed Martial Arts in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rothwell MMA, established in 2011, teaches MMA, kickboxing, boxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling, self-defense, yoga, and fitness to children and adults of all ages and experience levels. Rothwell is also the head coach for an MMA competition team of 30 amateur and professional MMA fighters. They often compete as a team at Wisconsin Xtreme Cage Fighting (WXCF) events at Racine Memorial Hall.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

** Knockout of the Night (One time) vs. Brendan Schaub **

Performance of the Night UFC Bonus Awards are three separate cash bonuses usually awarded to four fighters after each UFC event, based on internal decisions by UFC management. More/fewer bonuses have been awarded at some events, especially when no knockouts or submissions ...

(Two times) vs.

*United States Mixed Martial Arts **USMMA Heavyweight Championship (One time; first) *MMADNA.nl **2016 Submission of the Year

Mixed martial arts record

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, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 30–6 , Chris Guillen , TKO (submission to elbows) , Adrenaline MMA 2: Miletich vs. Denny , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 3:30 ,

Moline, Illinois Moline ( ) is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. With a population of 42,985 in 2020, it is the largest city in Rock Island County. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Islan ...

, United States , , - , Loss , style="text-align:center;", 29–6 , Andrei Arlovski , KO (punches) , Affliction: Banned , , style="text-align:center;", 3 , style="text-align:center;", 1:13 ,

Anaheim, California Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most ...

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 29–5 , Ricco Rodriguez , Decision (unanimous) , IFL: 2007 Team Championship final , , style="text-align:center;", 3 , style="text-align:center;", 4:00 ,

Hollywood, Florida Hollywood is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States, located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. As of July 1, 2019, Hollywood had a population of 154,817. Founded in 1925, the city grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, and is no ...

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 28–5 , Krzysztof Soszyński , TKO (punches) , IFL: 2007 semifinals , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 0:13 ,

East Rutherford, New Jersey East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the borough's population was 10,022, reflecting an increase of 1,109 (+12.4%) from the 8,913 counted in the 2010 census.

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 27–5 , Travis Fulton , Submission (kimura) , IFL: Chicago , , style="text-align:center;", 2 , style="text-align:center;", 3:11 ,

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 26–5 , Roy Nelson , Decision (split) , IFL: Moline , , style="text-align:center;", 3 , style="text-align:center;", 4:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 25–5 , Matt Thompson , TKO (punches) , IFL: Houston , , style="text-align:center;", 2 , style="text-align:center;", 1:47 ,

Houston, Texas Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 24–5 ,

Devin Cole Devin Cole (born October 1, 1976) is an American mixed martial artist. He is a veteran of the Seattle Tiger Sharks and Portland Wolfpack in the IFL, and has also competed in the WEC, Strikeforce, the World Series of Fighting, and Shark Fights ...

, KO (head kick) , IFL: Championship final , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 3:16 ,

Uncasville, Connecticut Uncasville is an area in the town of Montville, Connecticut, United States. It is a village in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River where it flows into the Thames River. The name is now applied more generally to all of the ...

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 23–5 , Wojtek Kaszowski , Submission (americana) , IFL: World Championship semifinals , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 3:14 ,

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous ...

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 22–5 , Bryan Vetell , KO (punch) , IFL: Gracie vs. Miletich , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 3:17 ,

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 21–5 , Krzysztof Soszyński , TKO (punches) , IFL: Legends Championship 2006 , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 3:59 ,

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 20–5 , Dan Bobish , KO (knee) , GFC: Team Gracie vs Team Hammer House , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 4:20 ,

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, an ...

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 19–5 , Joey Smith , TKO (submission to punches) , ISCF: Gladiators X , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", N/A ,

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 18–5 , Don Richard , TKO (punches) , KOTC: Conquest , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 3:32 ,

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, maki ...

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest T ...

, Canada , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 17–5 , Allan Weickert , TKO (punches) , GFS: Fight Nite in the Flats , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 3:45 ,

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S ...

, United States , , - , Loss , style="text-align:center;", 16–5 ,

Dan Christison Daniel B. "The Sandman" Christison (born April 26, 1972) is a retired American mixed martial artist. A professional from 2001 until 2010, he fought for the San Jose Razorclaws of the International Fight League, the Ultimate Fighting Champions ...

, Submission (kimura) , Euphoria: USA vs World , , style="text-align:center;", 3 , style="text-align:center;", 0:57 ,

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 16–4 , Jonathan Wiezorek , TKO (punches) , Euphoria: Road to the Titles , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 1:09 ,

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 15–4 , Matt Bear , TKO (submission to punches) , Ultimate Throwdown , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 2:57 ,

Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moine ...

, United States , , - , Loss , style="text-align:center;", 14–4 , Carlos Barreto , KO (head kick) , Heat FC 1: Genesis , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", N/A ,

Natal NATAL or Natal may refer to: Places * Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, a city in Brazil * Natal, South Africa (disambiguation), a region in South Africa ** Natalia Republic, a former country (1839–1843) ** Colony of Natal, a former British colony ( ...

, Brazil , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 14–3 , Royce Louck , TKO (doctor stoppage) , Freestyle Combat Challenge 11 , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", N/A ,

Racine, Wisconsin Racine ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located on the shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Root River. Racine is situated 22 miles (35 km) south of Milwaukee and approximately 60 ...

, United States , , - , Loss , style="text-align:center;", 13–3 , Ibragim Magomedov , TKO (retirement) , M-1 MFC: Russia vs. the World 4 , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 10:00 ,

St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

, Russia , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 13–2 , Travis Fulton , TKO (injury) , Freestyle Combat Challenge 8 , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 12–2 , Johnathan Ivey , TKO (doctor stoppage) , USMMA 2: Ring of Fury , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 1:14 ,

Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, in the United States. Alongside Cambridge, It is one of two traditional seats of Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in 2020, it was the fifth most populous city in Massachusetts as ...

, United States , , - , Loss , style="text-align:center;", 11–2 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , rowspan=2 , SB 24: Return of the Heavyweights 2 , rowspan=2 , , style="text-align:center;", 2 , style="text-align:center;", 5:00 , rowspan=2 ,

Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 11–1 ,

Kerry Schall Kerry Schall (born August 9, 1971) is a retired American mixed martial arts fighter. His nickname "Meat Truck" is for his huge size and punching power. Background The Kankakee, Illinois native was a football and wrestling star at Herscher High ...

, TKO (neck injury) , style="text-align:center;", 2 , style="text-align:center;", 2:10 , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 10–1 , Curtis Crawford , Submission (forearm choke) , SB 24: Return of the Heavyweights 1 , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 1:03 ,

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 9–1 , Mike Priest , TKO (injury) , Freestyle Combat Challenge 7 , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", N/A ,

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 8–1 , Mike Radnov , TKO (doctor stoppage) , rowspan=2 , Extreme Challenge 46 , rowspan=2 , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 5:54 , rowspan=2 ,

Clive, Iowa Clive is a city in Dallas and Polk counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 18,601. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area. Clive is known for its Greenbelt Park and ...

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 7–1 ,

, TKO (foot injury) , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 7:29 , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 6–1 , Mike Marshalleck , TKO (punches) , Freestyle Combat Challenge 6 , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 0:38 ,

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 5–1 , Steve Hutson , Submission (arm-triangle choke) , SC 8: Fight Night , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 3:35 ,

LaSalle, Illinois LaSalle is a city in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States, located at the intersection of Interstates 39 and 80. It is part of the Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area. Originally platted in 1837 over , the city's boundaries have grown ...

, United States , , - , Loss , style="text-align:center;", 4–1 , Tim Sylvia , Decision (unanimous) , Extreme Challenge 42 , , style="text-align:center;", 3 , style="text-align:center;", 5:00 ,

Davenport, Iowa Davenport is a city in and the county seat of Scott County, Iowa, United States. Located along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state, it is the largest of the Quad Cities, a metropolitan area with a population of 384,324 and ...

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 4–0 , Billy Herrington , TKO (submission to knees) , Iowa Challenge 2 , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 1:07 ,

Cedar Rapids, Iowa Cedar Rapids () is the second-largest city in Iowa, United States and is the county seat of Linn County, Iowa, Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River (Iowa River), Cedar River, north of Iowa City, Iowa, Iowa City and north ...

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 3–0 , Darren Block , KO (punch) , rowspan=2 , Dangerzone: Auburn , rowspan=2 , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 0:16 , rowspan=2 ,

Auburn, Indiana Auburn is a city in DeKalb County, Indiana, United States. The population was 13,820 at the 2020 census. Founded in 1836 by Wesley Park (1811–1868), the city is the county seat of DeKalb County. Auburn is also known as Home of the Classics. Hi ...

, United States , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 2–0 , Anthony Ferguson , TKO (referee stoppage) , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 1:00 , , - , Win , style="text-align:center;", 1–0 , Rob Shinkle , TKO (corner stoppage) , Freestyle Combat Challenge 3 , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", 0:21 ,

, United States , , -

Kickboxing record (Incomplete)

, - bgcolor="#CCFFCC" , 2005-10-21 , , Win , , align=left, Justice Smith , , ISCF: Colosseum Returns , , Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA , , DQ (low blows) , , 1 , , N/A , - , - bgcolor="#CCFFCC" , 2005-01-23 , , Win , , align=left,

Nobu Hayashi Nobu Hayashi ( ja, 林伸樹; born April 27, 1978) is a professional Japanese Heavyweight karateka and kickboxer. He is a two-time K-1 Japan tournament runner-up and holds notable wins over Ben Edwards, Sander Thonhauser and Faisal Zakaria. Hay ...

, , Shootboxing 2005: Ground Zero Fukuoka , ,

Fukuoka, Japan is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Fukuoka Prefecture has a population of 5,109,323 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,986 km2 (1,925 sq mi). Fukuoka Prefecture borders Saga Prefecture to the southwest, Kuma ...

, , Decision (unanimous) , , 3 , , 3:00 , - , colspan=8 , Legend:

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rothwell, Ben Living people 1981 births American people of Irish descent American people of Norwegian descent American male mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists from Wisconsin Heavyweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing shootboxing Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu American male kickboxers Kickboxers from Wisconsin American practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu Heavyweight kickboxers Sportspeople from Kenosha, Wisconsin Waukesha County Technical College alumni Doping cases in mixed martial arts Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters