Ben Rothwell thinks he has a grappling advantage over most UFC heavyweights, and he plans to use it.
After using his wrestling to take over Chris Barnett last Saturday at UFC Fight Night 188, Rothwell sees this game plan as a recipe for success moving forward. He and Barnett slugged it out in Round 1, but after Rothwell (39-13 MMA, 9-7 UFC) took things to the mat, it was smooth sailing from there for “Big Ben,” who submitted Barnett in the second round.
“This is one of the funner fights I had for sure because after the takedown and we got back up, and I went into the second round, I knew I was in complete control of the fight,” Rothwell told MMA Junkie. “I’m actually kind of disappointed about a few things because I became in such much control in the second round or I maybe could have picked how I finished, but at the same time, I wasn’t going to disrespect the sport, and I’m like, ‘No, just handle this the way it needs to be handled and finish as soon as I can.’
“With the positives, I hit my takedown. I was working some ground and then the same side I let him get back up because I didn’t put my hooks in. That’s like such a no-no. I’m so much better than that, and I think I was just excited, 10 years I hit my first takedown. I just really haven’t utilized my wrestling for a long time, and now it’s gonna be the game changer. It changes my game, it makes me such a bigger threat to the other heavyweights, and we’re gonna see some big changes this year, so I’m looking to get down on the ground with these guys, and I’m just gonna make some changes.”
At 39, Rothwell says he’s feeling better than he has a decade ago. He’s won three of his past four, and if he starts mixing things up with his grappling, he’s confident he can beat any heavyweight on the roster.
“It kind of re-awakened something in me that I know I have a huge advantage over the rest of the heavyweight division,” Rothwell added. “A huge advantage. Like distinctively, I can beat everybody in the top 10, including the champ. I get a hold of your neck, it’s over, but I can’t wait to show you guys all the other submissions I got. I got things like the gogo, but I’ll do it to your arms and to your legs.”
Ben Rothwell plans on grappling more to become a bigger threat: ‘It’s gonna be the game changer’
