Andrei Arlovski Makes Violent BKFC Debut, Bloodies Copeland Before Calling Out Ben Rothwell for Title Showdown

Andrei Arlovski made a brutal statement in his bare-knuckle boxing debut at BKFC 76, dismantling Josh Copeland with relentless precision before setting his sights on a familiar foe — Ben Rothwell, the reigning BKFC heavyweight champion.

At 46 years old, the former UFC champion showed he still possesses sharp reflexes and fight IQ. Arlovski weathered early aggression from Copeland, who came out firing in the first round and connected with a solid overhand right. But the veteran calmly returned fire, using slick double jabs and effective counters to control the tempo. Arlovski’s experience was on full display as he evaded Copeland’s wild flurries and punished him with crisp, targeted shots.

In the second round, Arlovski complained to the referee about Copeland leading with his head during clinches. The referee issued a warning, but it was Arlovski who began to pull away, expertly slicing Copeland's face with well-placed punches. As the damage accumulated, Copeland was left bleeding from multiple lacerations around his eye.

The third round saw Arlovski surge with a punishing right hand that staggered Copeland. He chased the finish, and though Copeland survived the round, he returned to his corner with a grotesque cut above his eye. In the fourth, Arlovski continued to target the damaged area with surgical accuracy. After four rounds of sustained punishment, the ringside doctor deemed Copeland unfit to continue, awarding Arlovski a TKO victory in his BKFC debut.

Following the fight, Arlovski wasted no time reviving an old rivalry. Addressing Ben Rothwell, who he defeated twice in MMA, Arlovski called for a third fight — this time with bare knuckles and championship stakes.

“This is a whole different f*cking world. It’s tough,” Arlovski said in his post-fight comments. “You have a champion Big Ben Rothwell but I beat your champ twice. So looking forward to be honest with you.”

Rothwell, watching from ringside, entered the squared circle and didn’t mince words with his response:

“You better be really careful what you wish for because if you fight me like that, I’m going to end your career,” Rothwell warned.

The two fighters shared a handshake after the fiery exchange, signaling mutual respect — but also hinting at an explosive showdown on the horizon. With Arlovski’s violent debut performance and Rothwell’s ominous words, a title bout between the two longtime rivals in BKFC seems all but inevitable.