Sherdog.com’s 2014 Upset of the Year
Rothwell vs. Overeem
3. Ben Rothwell
vs. Alistair
Overeem
UFC Fight Night “Jacare vs. Mousasi 2”
Sept. 5 | Mashantucket, Conn.
Regardless of how many times Overeem definitively loses a mixed martial arts contest, his name commands respect heading into any heavyweight fight.
The situation was no different prior to UFC Fight Night “Jacare vs. Mousasi 2,” where Overeem was heavily favored against Rothwell. Overeem had just bounced back from knockout losses at the hands of Antonio Silva and Travis Browne with a dominant decision win over Frank Mir. Meanwhile, Rothwell had not competed since serving a suspension for failing a post-fight drug test after beating Brandon Vera at UFC 164. It amounted to nearly a year away from the Octagon for the onetime International Fight League cornerstone.
The fight started quickly, with “The Demolition Man” throwing punches and oblique kicks. Overeem also scored with two knees to the gut that were followed by a stiff body shot. Rothwell kept his distance, but he walked down Overeem in an effort to time his opponent’s strikes. Then Rothwell pulled the trigger, catching Overeem with a right hand square on the jaw. This sent the Dutch fighter back into the cage, where he grabbed Rothwell and circled towards the center of the Octagon. From that point forward, Overeem seemed visibly tentative and unsteady on his feet. At the 2:46 mark, lighting struck again in the form of a right cross from Rothwell, dropping Overeem to the mat. The Wisconsin native pounced, following up with a flurry of shots that forced referee Keith Peterson to intervene on Overeem’s behalf.
The shocking result spawned a jig from Rothwell that will not easily be forgotten. The 33-year-old would not see action again during 2014, likely due to damage inflicted upon his right arm while blocking one of Overeem’s kicks. As is usually the case, Overeem bounced back quickly, wiping the bad taste of defeat from his mouth with an equally impressive knockout finish of Stefan Struve at UFC on Fox 13.
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