Francis Ngannou offered massive Title Fight - but not in the PFL or Boxing

Undefeated BKFC Champion Ben Rothwell requests a good old-fashioned fistfight with PFL's Francis Ngannou.

PFL MMA, BKFC

PFL Champion vs. BKFC Champion? The newly-crowned Ben Rothwell says a fight with Francis Ngannou would suffice after what he accomplished Saturday night.

At the age of 43, UFC veteran Rothwell finally broke through to his first world championship, capturing the BKFC heavyweight title at KnuckleMania V with a tremendous 36-second knockout over the highly-touted champ from England. Mick Terrill.

Theres a new sheriff in town 🤠 Every frame of @RothwellFighter’s vicious KO last night!#KnuckleManiaV pic.twitter.com/r7C5w1cEOi

— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) January 26, 2025

Rothwell remains undefeated since leaving the UFC on his own terms in 2022. For years, "Big" Ben fought the biggest and baddest names the promotion had to offer, such as Alistair Overeem, Cain Velasquez, Junior Dos Santos, and Andrei Arlovski (twice).

One name that Rothwell never shared the Octagon with was Francis Ngannou, the Cameroonian destroyer who went on to win a title in the UFC and more recently the PFL.

UFC Vet Ben Rothwell Says BKFC Co-Main Event ‘More about the Belt’ than the Money

Rothwell Calls For Ngannou Superfight In BKFC

Not many people are lining up to get into a straight-up fistfight with Ngannou following his ferocious KO win over Renan Ferreira in October, but Rothwell apparently is...

FIRST. ROUND. FINISH!

[ #PFLSuperFights | #BraceForImpact | BUY NOW | https://t.co/kWyJTEGRvW | https://t.co/2BtPH3wso4 ] pic.twitter.com/Zuyv8eN81H

— PFL (@PFLMMA) October 19, 2024

"Francis Ngannou maybe!" Rothwell name-dropped the PFL Champion at the post-fight press conference, when asked about potential opponents. "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."

"One of my best attributes is my precision. I don't want to hurt my hands, I want to hurt your face, and I've gotten really good at that."

As for Ngannou's best weapon, it's the insane God-given KO power he has in both of his hands, dropping the likes of Tyson Fury in boxing and claiming so many victims in MMA (12 KO's), making him one of the most feared fighters of this generation.

PFL Champion Francis Ngannou. | David Berding-Imagn Images

Francis Ngannou is currently tied down with the PFL, though he's been given allowances to compete in traditional boxing before, where he most recently fought and lost to Anthony Joshua last April. Ngannou faces a similar problem as Rothwell, running out of enticing opponents to fight in his current league, especially with top choice Vadim Nemkov becoming a free agent over the weekend.

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On a much different trajectory than the PFL, the gloveless BKFC has realized major success over these last few years, emerging as a top contender in the world of fight promotions, leaving us to wonder... could we someday see a cross-promotional clash between Ngannou and Rothwell under bareknuckle boxing rules?

If not, Ben Rothwell has also expressed interest in a long-awaited rematch with Mark Hunt, wanting to avenge a 2011 loss in the UFC.

More BKFC & MMA News

• Conor McGregor calls out fighter face-to-face in ring after Bare Knuckle Fight

• (Exclusive) Paul Hughes Embraces "Destiny" in PFL Main Event with Usman Nurmagomedov

• Fashionably Late Conor McGregor Cuts Major BKFC Promo: ‘Turn Your Knuckles to Knives'

• (Exclusive) Vadim Nemkov Talks Road to Dubai, End of Bellator MMA, & Future with PFL

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