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Ben Rothwell was supposed to face Philipe Lins in a heavyweight bout at UFC Vegas 21. However, the fight was scratched and scheduled for a later date due to Lins picking up an injury.
A week after the cancellation, the fight was rebooked for the UFC Fight Night card on May 8th. The card is set to be headlined by a bantamweight bout between Cory Sandhagen and TJ Dillashaw.
Both fighters will be looking to rebound after recent losses when the two clash in May. 39-year-old Ben Rothwell had his two-fight win streak snapped when he dropped a unanimous decision to Martin Tybura last October.
On the other hand, former PFL champion Philipe Lins will want to secure his first win inside the Octagon after losing his first two promotional bouts in the UFC to Tanner Boser and Andrei Arlovski.
I have always been my own worst enemy: Ben Rothwell
Ben Rothwell has fought his fair share of demons since his childhood. According to a 2016 interview with Bleacher Report, Ben was just 6 years old when his problems started.
Two days after Christmas, Ben woke up blind, and on being rushed to the hospital, he found out that he had spinal meningitis. Though Ben Rothwell fought the disease, he would often retreat into himself in crucial fights of his career and end up losing.
Speaking about the fear of being himself, Ben told Bleacher Report:
"I've always been afraid of being successful. For some reason, I like to shoot myself in the foot. I've held myself back. I've always been my own worst enemy."
"When I got to the higher end, in the IFL (International Fight League) or the [Andrei] Arlovski fight in Affliction, it was just like I was being held back. I can't even explain it. There could be a lot to it. Every fighter struggles with it, with being as good as they are in the training room," explained Rothwell.
However, Ben Rothwell seems to have finally overcome his demons and is enjoying his time in the Octagon. Fans will not forget his infamous laugh in the post-fight interview after submitting Matt Mitrione at UFC Fight Night 68. Talking about the post-fight interview with Jon Anik, Ben further said:
"I realized I can be who I am. I don't have to be afraid anymore. That's why you heard the laugh and saw me with the cloak. People were like, 'What is this?' But it's real. I've decided that I can be as badass as I want to be."
