The Speed Bag: On a night full of incredible, Ben Rothwell used crazy to steal the show

UFC Fight Night 68 turned out to be one of the most entertaining events in recent memory. So how did Ben Rothwell find a way to stand out from the crowd? According to MMAjunkie’s Ben Fowlkes, a dramatic pause and a cackle paved the way.

In the latest edition of The Speed Bag, Fowlkes marvels not at Rothwell’s (35-9 MMA, 5-3 UFC) first-round submission win over Matt Mitrione (9-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) at New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center (watch the Rothwell vs. Mitrione video highlights), but how the heavyweight handled his time on the mic after the victory.

Sure, Rothwell caught some grief for – as Fowlkes describes it – acting as a “creepy, crazy person on live TV,” but as the 33-year-old explained to MMAjunkie at the evening’s post-fight press conference, fighters have to do something to get noticed.

So was Rothwell’s bizarre laugh and odd celebration a laughable moment or a stroke of pure genius by “Big” Ben? As Fowlkes asks, what just happened here?

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 68, check out the UFC Events section of the site.