As far as post-fight callouts go, Ben Rothwell’s after his win over Brandon Vera on Saturday was not the most succinct, but it did get a reaction. However, that reaction could not have been the one that Rothwell was hoping to illicit.

Rothwell spent the majority of the first two rounds of his UFC 164 fight against Brandon Vera slowly chasing Vera around the Octagon. With 1:30 expired in the third and final round, a switch seemed to flip in Rothwell’s head, and he began to channel his inner Clay Guida.

The 6’ 4", 262 pound seemed to say, ‘enough of this’ and went after Vera, increasing his head movement tenfold and unleashing a torrent of strikes that left Vera turtled on the canvas as referee Herb Dean waved off the fight.

The TKO win at 1:54, had Rothwell clearly elated. The smiling 33-9 heavyweight took his opportunity with UFC commentator Joe Rogan to request his next opponent:

I have to do this because I’m a fighter in this division. If you want to be the best, you gotta beat the best. The fans have to make this happen. He’s up there right now. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but if the fans speak up we can make this fight happen. If you want to see an epic fight, with tons of replays and everything else that goes along with it. A dramatic fight that will shock the fans, then let me fight Travis Browne. I will bring it, and I will give you all that you want to see.

Browne, the No. 5 ranked fighter in the heavyweight division took to twitter to dismiss Rothwell’s request:

LOL @rothwellfighter had your chance a yr ago but you magically sprained your little toe and now you want to be given something I've earned. — Travis Browne (@travisbrowneMMA) September 1, 2013

I'm looking forward, not back.. You have some catching up to do son. — Travis Browne (@travisbrowneMMA) September 1, 2013

Ok @RothwellFighter if it was about respect then you would work yourway up the ladder andearn the shots I've earned notask for them w/themic — Travis Browne (@travisbrowneMMA) September 1, 2013

Browne and Rothwell had been scheduled to fight in August 2012, but a training camp injury to Rothwell forced that fight to be cancelled.

Since that cancellation, Browne has gone 2-1, losing to Anthony Silva, but rebounding with first round knockouts of Gabriel Gonzaga and Alistair Overeem. Rothwell is 1-1 since then, losing to Gonzaga and defeating Vera on Saturday night.

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