Ben Rothwell vs Junior Dos Santos meet at UFC Zagreb, Dan Hardy previews the fight

Ahead of UFC’s debut event in Croatia on Sunday, British UFC fighter and commentator, Dan Hardy, gives his thoughts on the evening’s main event heavyweight clash between the No.4 ranked Ben Rothwell and the No.5 ranked Junior Dos Santos

Ben Rothwell in action (Josh Hedges / Zuffa LLC)

An exciting line up of fights will grace the UFC’s Octagon this weekend, and with three heavyweight bouts on the main card, it’s the heaviest line-up we’ve seen since UFC 146.

The main event has potential title fight connotations, as Ben Rothwell - riding a four-fight win streak - takes on former heavyweight champion, Junior Dos Santos. With a clear-cut victory, Rothwell knows that he will have done enough to demand a shot at the champion. Dos Santos, however, feels like he is still capable of holding the belt and needs a win in Zagreb to support his own case.

Although hugely experienced, with double the amount of professional contests as JDS, Rothwell has never been within reach of the UFC title. He finds himself in this position because something has changed about his approach to competition and, as a result, he has taken out four dangerous opponents. Rothwell puts this all down to his new mindset, and confidence, but it is manifesting in knockouts and submissions.

It seems as though Rothwell has found his groove, and at just the right time. The heavyweight division is has been waiting for a new contender to step in and stir things up, and it’s obvious that he has the skills required. His natural knockout power, granite chin and signature Go-Go choke are causing all kinds of problems. Most recently Big Ben submitted Josh Barnett, a high level grappler, surprising hard core MMA fans and earning a performance bonus in the process.

Junior Dos Santos, meanwhile, is a very skilled boxer. His takedown defence has always proven to be good, and he has an excellent awareness in all ranges of mixed martial arts. Having recently moved to American Top Team, he has worked extensively with former heavyweight boxing world champion, Michael Moorer, which will surely add a new dimension to his game. I expect Dos Santos to play the long game and use his footwork to stay away from Rothwell’s power, using his speed advantage to out-box his opponent.

Junior Dos Santos in action (Josh Hedges / Zuffa LLC)

Rothwell will look to crowd JDS, make the Octagon small and force him back against the fence, limiting Dos Santos’ options. The overhand right is a weapon that both fighters use, but Rothwell requires less wind up, allowing for more versatility in the strike. He has a powerful uppercut that we saw in the Overeem fight, and a modified guillotine choke that he calls the Go-Go.

Finding space will be a priority for JDS, as will keeping his neck out of danger. He definitely has the advantage when it comes to movement but Rothwell is a huge man who fancies his chances in a fire fight. It’s going to be difficult to keep him on the end of a jab for five rounds, but Rothwell’s confidence in his own chin does mean that he is less reluctant to take punches, making it a little easier for JDS to land shots cleanly.

Before the main event we have a veteran taking on a rising prospect in the co-main, as Gabriel Gonzaga attempts to slow the roll of Derrick Lewis. We also have some UK talent, with Ian Entwistle returning to action and Rob Whiteford stepping in once again. I expect lots of competitive bouts and some tough competition for those performance bonuses!

Watch UFC Fight Night: Rothwell vs. Dos Santos live on BT Sport from 7pm on Sunday or catch the Early Prelims from 3:30pm and the Prelims on the BT Sport app from 5pm.