Ben Rothwell targeting early-2017 return after learning ‘life lessons' from knee injury

Ben Rothwell lost a golden chance to reinsert himself into the heavyweight conversation when he withdrew from his co-headlining slot opposite former UFC champion Fabricio Werdum at UFC 203, and an injured knee ended up being the culprit.

"It was in training, and there was a little bit of time where I tried to do what therapies I could," Rothwell said recently on The MMA Hour. "I had everybody around me, my support system, management and everybody just advised that surgery is what was needed.

"So I'm in healing state right now, and that's the way I feel about it emotionally as well, because obviously it was a huge opportunity. And it is sad, because I felt like I matched up very good against Werdum, and it was a chance for me to kind of show everyone, like, really what I truly believe, that I've been holding back and I have a lot more to show the MMA world. So that's where we're at, just in the process of recovery and I'm hopeful for a return in early 2017."

Rothwell, 34, ended up being replaced on the card by Travis Browne, who lost to Werdum in UFC 203's co-main event. The pullout was a rough one for Rothwell to take, effectively closing a 2016 campaign that began so promisingly with a late-January submission of Josh Barnett, but then came crashing back down to earth when Rothwell suffered a lopsided April loss to Junior dos Santos.

Rothwell had become heavyweight's feel-good story before that setback, a fan-favorite with his ‘dark lord' persona who was riding a division-best four straight victories via finish. In truth, "Big Ben" was likely one good performance away from a title shot before the dos Santos fight, however the months since have been humbling, and after everything Rothwell has gone through in dealing with his knee injury, he regrets many of the criticisms he lobbed at his heavyweight peers during his winning stretch.

"Listening to some of my interviews in March and some of the things I was saying about other guys getting injured, and talking about other things, how people were fighting, it's tough," Rothwell said. "It falls on my shoulders. I really have to be careful how I'm saying things or coming at guys for things that you can't control.

"Injuries are a real bastard part of the sport. It's just nasty, because it is accidental. There are obviously a lot of injuries that take place from poor training and techniques, people not recovering right, getting pushed too much. And then there's just some of us who are at an age where it's just like, this is something that's been with me, and my body just broke down. It was just one of those things, it was a combination of things, so there's a lot of life lessons going on this year."

Rothwell said he is now starting to regain the ability to walk after his surgery, and although he knows there are many tough months ahead, he is determined to use his newfound free time in a positive way.

"You can look at life like it's not fair at times, but at the same time it is, because I've learned throughout the years that things happen when they're supposed to happen," Rothwell said. "This time off right now, I'm really getting some time to work some things with myself, and just kind of really look back at my mistakes in the Junior fight and things that had happened.

"There's things about him that are hard to figure the very first time you fight him. I can see that, and he taught me a lot. Being in there those rounds four and five, I can't say it enough, there's no dollar amount to pay for what I learned during that fight. So I'm very excited about my return in 2017. I really, truly believe I have a lot to show the MMA world. I can make history with what I can do. If I just really let go of my talents and show everyone, I can bring the heavyweight division to the level it needs to be. We need some exciting fights, people who are willing to say what they're going to do, then go out and do it and be exciting."

In a perfect world, Rothwell hopes to return in the new year to a fight against Werdum, although he knows much of that is out of his control. For now, all he can do is focus on his recovery, get better, and watch the division from afar, taking inspiration from heavyweight battles like the recent war of attrition put on by Barnett and Andrei Arlovski at UFC Fight Night 93.

"I think they did a great job and then showed how professional (we can be)," Rothwell said. "Here's two guys who have been in the sport a long time, and to see the professionalism with the way that they can handle themselves, put up a great fight and then both be in the press conference talking, just to entertain us and to show MMA at it's finest, how respectful they can be, it just was very inspiring for me. And to just look at the way the heavyweight division is as a whole, and the age of all of us, and the way that technique is triumphing over speed and power.

"There's worthy 25 and 20-year-old heavyweights. I'm sure they might come up and develop obviously -- we've got kids doing MMA at age six years old now, they're on their way -- but right now, it's technique. Technique is what's surviving in the heavyweight division. And when I tell you I'm listening to Cain (Velasquez), I'm listening to Junior and they're very confident, (they're saying) ‘I want to fight anybody, I'll do this,' Cain says no one can touch him -- I know that I'm going to prove them wrong, because once I touch them, I'm going to end these fights. And it's my technique that's going to prevail."