Andrei Arlovski bludgeons Ben Rothwell in bloody BKFC heavyweight title fight at Knucklemania 6

Arlovski wins trilogy fight against Rothwell via third-round KO

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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Andrei Arlovski, 47, won his trilogy fight with BKFC heavyweight champion Ben Rothwell on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Arlovski looked a level above Rothwell, beating him to the punch, landing more powerful shots, and forcing his rival to wear a mask of blood as early as the second round. Though Rothwell had enjoyed a late-career in BKFC as its heavyweight champion, he looked far more sluggish, and boxed as if in slow-motion. Arlovski took advantage of that in each and every round, landing a straight right hand, and one-twos, over and over, which was more than enough to outclass Rothwell until a time-out in the third.

Why it matters

Arlovski's victory over the reigning BKFC heavyweight champion Rothwell is a significant upset, as the 47-year-old Arlovski proved he still has plenty of fight left in him. This result could shake up the BKFC heavyweight division, with Arlovski potentially being in line for a title defense against a rising contender like the 'bare knuckle Mike Tyson' Leonardo Perdomo.

The details

In three separate rounds, Arlovski battered Rothwell with his straight right hand and one-two combinations, causing a large, V-shaped cut on Rothwell's forehead that left him with a mask of blood on his face. By the third round, the ringside physician determined that Rothwell had suffered a serious eye injury, forcing the referee to stop the fight and award Arlovski the TKO victory.

  • The fight took place on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  • Arlovski and Rothwell had fought twice before, with Arlovski winning a decision and by knockout in their previous matchups.

The players

Andrei Arlovski

A 47-year-old MMA veteran who won the BKFC heavyweight title by defeating the reigning champion Ben Rothwell.

Ben Rothwell

The 44-year-old reigning BKFC heavyweight champion who was defeated by Arlovski in their trilogy fight.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

BKFC could look to book Arlovski in a title defense against the hard-hitting 'bare knuckle Mike Tyson' Leonardo Perdomo, who has been making a name for himself with first-round knockouts in the promotion.

The takeaway

Arlovski's dominant victory over the reigning BKFC heavyweight champion Rothwell proves that the veteran fighter still has plenty of fight left in him, and could set up an intriguing title defense against a rising contender like Perdomo as BKFC looks to capitalize on Arlovski's resurgence.