New BKFC champion who wants a piece of Francis Ngannou; reveals "awesome" backstage conversation with Conor McGregor

BKFC sensation Ben Rothwell has hinted at a dream matchup with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Rothwell reinvented himself in the BKFC circuit, becoming a standout performer in Conor McGregor’s promotional stable.

Last weekend, Rothwell achieved a career milestone by defeating Mick Terrill via knockout to capture the BKFC heavyweight championship. The victory also earned him 'Knockout of the Night' honors, extending his undefeated BKFC record to 4-0.

Riding high after the triumph, Rothwell voiced ambitions of testing his skills against some of combat sports' biggest names. In a conversation with Ariel Helwani, he expressed his desire to step into the ring with Ngannou or boxing star Anthony Joshua:

"Francis Ngannou, Anthony Joshua... To put gloves on and prove how good at boxing I am would very much be a bucket list thing. I just don't feel like I got to show the boxing world how good of a boxer I am."

Rothwell also shared insights into his interaction with McGregor, praising the UFC legend’s energy and support:

"Conor is awesome, full of energy, wishing me the best, 'go out and fu**ing kick a** and put on a show.' And then after the fight, you know, he was very congratulatory to me super excited. It was pretty cool... I think he genuinely enjoys this."

Check out Ben Rothwell's comments on Conor McGregor below:

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A look into past weekend's BKFC KnuckleMania V

KnuckleMania V, held at the sold-out Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, delivered thrilling moments, cementing it as the biggest event in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship history.

The Main Event grudge match saw Jeremy Stephens secure a third-round TKO victory over Eddie Alvarez after Alvarez’s corner stopped the bout. Stephens improved to 3-0 in BKFC, while Philadelphia native Alvarez now stands at 1-2.

In the Co-Main Event, heavyweight legend Ben Rothwell claimed the BKFC World Heavyweight Championship with a stunning one-punch knockout over Mick Terrill in just 36 seconds. Rothwell remains undefeated at 4-0 in BKFC.

Other standout performances included Brisbane’s Bec Rawlings defeating Taylor Starling via unanimous decision in a five-round battle, and South Philadelphia’s John Garbarino electrifying the crowd with a first-round knockout and a post-fight marriage proposal.

Knockouts dominated the night, with Brandon Meyer, Kaine Tomlinson Jr., and Cody Russell delivering emphatic finishes. Itso Babulaidze made history as the first Georgian fighter in BKFC, defeating Bryan McDowell in an action-packed bout deemed Fight of the Night.