Report: Rothwell confirms fight with Rizzo at Affliction

Ben Rothwell has confirmed rumored reports that he will be fighting Pedro Rizzo during Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning” pay-per-view event on Oct. 11 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Rothwell revealed the fight to CagePotato.com earlier today.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com spoke with Rothwell’s manager, Monte Cox, last week and Cox indicated that Rothwell was not expected to be involved with the second Affliction event. However, Rothwell indicated that there was a change of plans.

“Monte turned down their original offer for this fight, so that’s why he said none of his guys would be fighting on the show,” Cage Potato quotes Rothwell as saying. “Then they came back with another offer that was better, so we agreed to it.”

The wording of Rothwell’s statement has led some to believe that he had to accept a cut in pay from the $200,000 salary he received for Affliction: Banned on July 19 but that has not been confirmed.

Rothwell originally was announced as having signed a three-fight contract with the promotion so for him to have to sign a second agreement when he has an existing salary schedule suggests that a change of some kind has occurred.

The Rothwell vs. Rizzo heavyweight title joins a lineup already set to feature bouts between Andrei Arlovski vs. Josh Barnett, Vitor Belfort vs. Matt Lindland, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Vladimir Matyushenko, Paul Buentello vs. Roy Nelson, Mike Pyle vs. Jason High, and Chris Horodecki vs. TBA.