UFC veteran Ben Rothwell shoots for win No. 40

MANILA, Philippines – For veteran UFC fighter Ben Rothwell, getting win No. 40 against Brazilian Marcos Rodriguez de Lima is the goal When UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Rodriguez gets underway at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA this Sunday, November 13 (morning Manila time).

Rothwell turned 40 years old just last October 17, and he would love nothing more than to get his 40th victory to celebrate what would be a double milestone.

Just this last May 22, Rothwell got Chris Barnett to submit after slipping in a guillotine choke in the second round). 

His opponent though will not cheaply give No. 40 away.

De Lima is coming off a unanimous decision win over Maurice Green in a UFC bout from May of this year. However, the 36-year-old de Lima fighter alternated wins and losses over his last 11 appearances in the UFC. At the heavyweight division, he is 3-2. 

The submission specialist, who is ranked 25th in UFC’s heavyweight rankings, hopes to displace Rothwell and climb the ladder.

“Imposing my will is me deciding how this fight will go,” Rothwell told Philstar.com of his upcoming fight against de Lima. “He is a striker but he is also looking for takedowns. While most of my wins were knockouts, I am hoping to rack up more submissions. Anyways, as long as I get win No. 40 and of course, more.”

“The year 2021 has been pretty good. We won a fight. Took some time off and had a solid training camp.”

Rothwell has also been busy with his gym, Rothwell MMA. 

“I opened a gym 10 years ago and I developed a team around me which is a pretty awesome group of guys,” shared Rothwell. “We teach kids and adults. Some of them are bullied at school, some of them are overweight. Over the course I have watched incredible stories unfold and I have heard this from many parents that their child could stick up for himself and in doing so, the added confidence has gotten them good grades. The stories have gone on year after year. I am proud of the gym, the people around us, and what we are doing.”

In turn, Rothwell has been blessed. With a 3-1 record in his last four fights, he is making a case for the elder statement in the UFC. 

Two weeks ago, 42-year-old Glover Teixeira defeated champion Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight belt. 

Last Sunday, 40-year-old Frankie Edgar was leading Marlon Vera after two rounds when he literally took it on the chin to lose by knockout. 

“I just humbly submit myself to being an ambassador to MMA. Mixed martial arts have kept me in shape and saved my life. It has given me everything. Without it, I wouldn’t know where to be at age 40. It has made me a better person. It has helped me open a gym to also help people,” said Rothwell. 

“I am going out to have the fight that people will talk about after,” he said of his upcoming fixture against de Lima. “There are a couple of cool finishes and submission moves that I have been working on. If I can bring these finishes that I am talking about and win the next three or four fights, everything will fall in line.”

UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs Rodriguez can be viewed Sunday on Premier Sports on Skycable and Cignal and via the Tap Go app.