Who is Josh Copeland, the bare-knuckle fighter taking on former UFC heavyweight Ben Rothwell?

Former UFC heavyweight fighters Josh Copeland and Ben Rothwell are preparing to face off in an explosive, bare-knuckle brawl at the highly anticipated BKFC 41 event on April 29th in Denver, Colorado.

The fight card features a highly touted bout between Mike Perry and former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold as the main event of the evening.

Ben Rothwell was initially scheduled to face Josh Watson at BKFC 41, but Watson had to withdraw due to an injury, leaving the promotion in search of a replacement. In stepped Josh Copeland, who is set to make his second appearance on the bare-knuckle fighting circuit after a successful debut in October where he secured a knockout victory over Levi Costa.

Copeland, a veteran of UFC, World Series of Fighting and PFL, brings a wealth of experience to the table, with his last MMA fight dating back to 2019. While 'Cuddly Bear' was already slated to appear in BKFC 41, his upcoming fight against gives him a significant boost up the card, promising to be a thrilling matchup between the two accomplished heavyweights.

Josh Copeland has built an impressive professional MMA career with a record of 16 victories and six defeats. Of his 16 wins, five have been achieved through powerful knockouts, while another five have come from dominant submission finishes. This impressive track record is a testament to Copeland's versatility and adaptability as a fighter, with the ability to end fights in a variety of ways.

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Ben Rothwell is not concerned about cardio struggles against Josh Copeland at BKFC 41

Denver's high altitude can be a daunting challenge for many fighters, but Ben Rothwell isn't one to shy away from a challenge. Ahead of his BKFC 41 bout against Josh Copeland, the seasoned heavyweight fighter made a strategic move by taking his training camp to Team Elevation in Denver, where he could acclimate himself to thin air. This decision has given Rothwell a newfound sense of confidence, as he assures fans that his cardio won't be an issue come fight night.

In a recent interview with MMA Junkie Radio, Rothwell spoke about his preparations and how he's feeling going into the fight:

"The training partners that I had, to my pleasant surprise, were really surprised with how good my cardio was, and I had guys rotating in on me. I went to a gym, and they put me in the middle and had three guys come in on me, and I handled it very well. They were like, ‘Wow, you did really good.’ I did feel it and I didn’t do as much as I normally did, so I knew that I was like not doing my best."