UFC heavyweights are set to collide on March 13, at UFC Fight Night headlined by Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev. Chiefly, veteran big man Ben Rothwell will look to deny prospect Philipe Lins a win in his third outing. Barring the date, not much is known in terms of the venue and location of the aforementioned fight card.
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The news of the booking first came through via Combate and has later moved along the line towards confirmation. There’s no doubt that it’s a critical scrap for both men who are coming off losses in their previous outings. Moreover, the heavyweight landscape can change on a dime and they’ll be hoping to enter that conversation with a win.
UFC heavyweights: Ben Rothwell vs Philipe Lins
The 38-13 veteran hasn’t had the best go-around as of late going 3-2 in his last five outings with the promotion. He was on the sidelines for a meaningful period, but hasn’t been able to capture his early career momentum. ‘Big’ Ben suffered a unanimous decision loss to Marcin Tybura back in October and didn’t have much to offer that night.
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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – OCTOBER 11: (L-R) Marcin Tybura of Poland punches Ben Rothwell in their heavyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on October 11, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Ben Rothwell uses unorthodox lateral movement, which makes it a nightmare to get an engagement out of him. The grizzly vet has seen it all and once the fight goes to the ground, he certainly favors his chances. However, getting the fight to the ground isn’t as easy with a top-heavy technician in Lins.
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Philipe Lins: Looking to bounce back
Philipe Lins’ UFC career has left plenty to the imagination as he rounds out a 0-2 record thus far. Following a successful Bellator MMA and PFL tournament run, there were high expectations coming into the leading MMA promotion. The Brazilian’s last outing ended in a TKO defeat to fellow prospect Tanner Boser and he now has an opportunity to make things right.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 27: (R-L) Tanner Boser punches Philipe Lins of Brazil in their heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on June 27, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Lins has showcased a strong rounded skillset, and he’s competent no matter where the fight may end up. The 35-year-old isn’t very explosive on offense and this has led to his forward movement being somewhat sluggish as well. Rothwell has traditionally been a hard man to hit, and ‘Big’ Ben’s proficiency on the ground is significant.
Who will you be backing in this fight?
