Ben Rothwell released from UFC, Alexander Gustafsson fight scrapped

It’s not often a UFC fighter is cut from the promotion while preparing for a fight, but that’s what appears to have happened to Ben Rothwell this week.

According to a Twitter account that monitors the UFC roster, Rothwell was removed from the UFC, despite being booked to fight Alexander Gustafsson. UFC officials later confirmed the news with MMA Fighting but no reason for his removal was given.

He was slated for a fight to take place on May 21. At press time neither Rothwell or Gustafsson have commented.

Rothwell made his UFC debut in 2009 when he lost to Cain Velasquez via second-round TKO. He would go on to face the likes of Mark Hunt, Brendan Schaub, Brandon Vera, Matt Mitrione, Josh Barnett, Junior dos Santos, and Andrei Arlovski, among others.