Should his callout of Francis Ngannou fall on deaf ears, BKFC star Ben Rothwell looks to have at least one other high-profile option for his next fight.
Rothwell has established himself as a dominant force in bare-knuckle boxing since his 17-fight tenure under the UFC banner reached its conclusion in 2021.
"Big Ben" has gone 4-0 under the BKFC banner, with every win coming via knockout. His most recent triumph was at this past weekend's KnuckleMania V event in Philadelphia, where the 43-year-old powerhouse delivered an early Knockout of the Year contender.
With his violent 36-second KO of Mick Terrill, Rothwell captured the BKFC heavyweight title. Plenty of eyes will no doubt now be on the veteran's next outing, and he's setting his sights high.
During his post-fight press conference, Rothwell name-dropped a former UFC champion and the current PFL Super Fights heavyweight titleholder as a potential opponent.
Francis Ngannou maybe," Rothwell said. "We need to get some big names in this. I don't know who's on the roster, especially after tonight, that's jumping in to fight me. They'll say it but when it really comes down to it and I'm standing in front of you, things change.
Whether or not that could come to fruition remains to be seen. Ngannou is tied up with the PFL and expected to explore boxing options in 2025 following battles with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
But should that rule "The Predator" out, another former UFC heavyweight is interested in the assignment.
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"U sure u want the smoke @rothwellfighter lets see it then," Mark Hunt wrote on X.
Rothwell and Hunt are familiar with one another, having shared the Octagon at UFC 135 back in 2011. "The Super Samoan" emerged victorious at the event, outpointing his American counterpart across three rounds.
While "Big Ben" has been racking up wins in BKFC, the New Zealander hasn't competed since defeating rugby legend Sonny Bill Williams in the boxing ring three years ago. He's remained in the headlines due to his legal dispute with the UFC.