It’s hard to be a fan of BJ Penn nowadays. It amazes me that a man so many people, including myself, consider the best Lightweight Mixed Martial Artist ever is 2-3 in his last five fights. What’s worse, there’s no more excuses for Penn’s seemingly declining ability. Against Georges St. Pierre, Penn was faced with a large opponent that is also frequently in the middle of the “best of all time” argument, and of course, there was the whole “greasing” controversy. Against Frank Edgar at UFC 112, the fight was so close that many in Penn’s corner cried foul and fluke. But UFC 118 had no controversy: a natural Lightweight dominated BJ Penn for five straight rounds. So naturally, everyone is wondering: where does BJ Penn go from here? Here are my thoughts on the entire situation.
First off, I don’t believe for a second that the Lightweight division has passed Penn by. Penn outright demolished Kenny Florian, who up to that point was on a fantastic win streak and looking better in every single fight. Penn also dominated Diego Sanchez, a dynamic striker, by out-striking him. I don’t think Penn is done. I don’t believe for a second that he’s peaked at the age of 31. The only thing I think holding back BJ Penn is BJ Penn.
Because honestly, it seems like you never know what BJ Penn you’re going to get nowadays. He’s been dominating people in brilliant fashion ever since Caol Uno nine years ago. Then again, his inability to measure up even when the odds are ridiculously stacked in his favor is also rooted in history, ever since he lost to Jens Pulver in 2002. When Penn first started his Lightweight rebirth, he was frank in admitting that, for the most part, he slacked off in training and allowed his off-the-charts natural ability to carry him through. With Penn’s newfound honesty and determination, he looked unstoppable as a Lightweight. But I think it’s clear that old habits die hard when you’re BJ Penn.
I want to say that BJ Penn needs a challenge to really bring out the best in him, but he had a challenge at UFC 118 and still didn’t measure up. So in all honesty, I don’t know what BJ Penn needs right now. Leading up to UFC 118, Penn had every reason to put on the performance of his life. What we got is something that will probably one day be remembered as one of worst performances of his career. Penn was motivated, he was determined, he wanted that belt back really, really bad. But it just didn’t happen.
There are two things I think Penn needs to do in the here and now. To start, I think Penn needs to go back to basics. His gameplan against Edgar was predominantly striking-based. He needs to bring back his awesome Brazilian Jui Jitsu game in a big way. He needs to use his striking to set up submissions, rather than to out-box his opponent. But perhaps most importantly, he needs to take a break. Penn has been running himself ragged, he’s fought two grueling five-rounders in the span of four months. Penn needs a break to rejuvenate, rest up, tend to any lingering injuries no matter how minor, and most importantly, he needs to get away from it all at least for a few months so he can have the proper amount of time to search his soul and determine what his next career move is.
All in all, there’s still a future in the UFC for BJ Penn. I just don’t know what that future is, and I don’t think even BJ Penn knows what his future holds right now. But Penn is far too talented to ever completely vanish from the MMA landscape. He’s pulled through some tough times and came back from some big losses before, and I have no doubt that he’ll do it again. It’s just a matter of time.
But what do you think, fans and friends? Where does BJ Penn go from here?
Tweet
Cesar Gracie Takes Judges to Task for UFC 143 Decision
Fabricio Werdum Interested in June Fight Against Frank Mir
Josh Koscheck Leaves American Kickboxing Academy
Comments
Get the belt back Penn.
I think he needs to get away from it all for 60 days, then start building muscle like a madman and jump back to welterweight.
All he needs is size, muscle, so he doesn’t get dominated again. If he can keep his flexibility and hand speed, just adding muscle will allow him to be a monster on takedown defence because your adding his already very good defense to strength, which makes it that much harder to take him down, and makes his strikes that much more powerful.
BJ should start his own fighting championship with his own rules and his own point system.
I don’t believe in points winning fights. I think fighting and gambling need to be separated to remove the $ factor totally from the fight factor. Fighters should not be fast tracked because they are marketable…its mixed martial arts not money market arts….
I agree, he’s not done, however he needs to take a healthy rest from fighting, without getting fat in between fights. If you take a picture of the BJ Penn that fought Sherk or Diego, he did not look the same with Edgar. His next fight should be against a Clay Guida or Melvin Guillard, and if Kenny Florian gets the same kind of fighters and they both win, then they can have a Penn vs Florian II for the title again, and hopefully we se the old BJ back.
Agree wit Kansas, however BJ Penn can put a lot of muscle and still fight at lightweight.
You coined it! Bj needs to take a break, a long break and then he needs to reevaluate his whole career entirely. He needs to get back to the basics of his mma style and stop trying to out class everyone in boxing! true Bj is a bad ass in his striking ability but he tends to get overly excited with his hands skill that he forgets about his foundation, his core witch is bjj. Once he realizes and remembers how easy it is for him to set up a take down and take some ones back i believe we will then have the old Bj back.” Then again thats just Bj being Bj!!!”
BJ needs to fire his brother first…his advice in between rounds was retarded. Then he needs to not be a major quitter anymore…that fight was a major joke. BJ was a major joke. Unbelievable. I’m totally not a fan anymore.
I know he needs a totally new training team. Friends and family are good for support but depending on their knowledge of the fight game, the strength and conditioning aspect, nutrition, recovery and regeneration he needs to get a better team together. He has the natural ability, but in the UFC right now, everyone has that, it’s the training you do prior to fight is what’ll bring success. You can’t “rest hard” to train for a fight. Get a new training camp, get out of Hilo, get out of your comfort zone, realize your potential and seize the opportunity.
He definitely needs to take a break, and thats a break from the UFC.
He should fight in Dream against guys like Eddie Alvarez, Joachim Hansen or JZ Calvancante. Or maybe Strikeforce and fight Gil Melendez or KJ Noons, I mean theres so much more competition out there for him besides the UFC.
Something to fire him up again, u know?
First off I got a couple questions I need to ask. 1. At the weigh in’s BJ looked not like his normal self. Right before he got on that scale he almost lost balance. 2. On the walk out he wasn’t the same neither, his killing look or eye of the tiger looked estinguished. Upon entering the ring he stood on the wrong side of octagon. When he got to his corner he wasn’t pumped and amped like he usually is. He was just standing there with a dumbfounded look like he was somewhere else other than this fight. I’m from Da Islands and got nothing but pride, respect and love for BJ including high expectations. BJ Penn is far from his prime. He did not look like the Sean sherk, Ken flo, shanchez, and Joe daddy BJ. He was not in peak condition. I know all you BJ fans feel the same. He needs some overdue R&R. He needs to find the champion that he is and use that fire to fuel some intensity. Break out of that slump that you seem to be in because your much to strong for that. I wanna see the hands up head bobbing can’t wait to smash and demolish your ass right before the fight starts BJ PENN. Make things PONO in and out ring and I’m confident let me rephrase that 100 percent sure you’ll make the most spectacular comeback that the UFC will ever see and be embeded as the best light weight and respected as one of the best pound for pound fighters ever. Not as the guy who could have or should have if he were more serious or not have taken things for granted. Make the crazy comeback Kill the lightwieght division and end it with the win over GSP. From a loyal and honest fan. Unload the clip and choke em out.
Seldom do I respond to what I read, just like checking out the threads here and there but hey look. BJ is the man, so what he lost, it’s a fight. Did he “lose the first fight with Edgar? Any intelligent fight fan has to say no he did’nt, the judge that scored that fight 5 rounds to 0 was an assurance score, there was no way BJ could win that fight with that score, someone had big money on that fight at 7-1 odds. This fight he lost and so what, it happens. I’ll be honest the first fight that came to mind after watching it was Sugar Ray Leonard-Marvelous Marvin Hagler many years ago, Leonard on his bike the entire fight, moving, jabbing, never really setting anything substantial up and then he won by points. Now I have always liked Sugar Ray and I remember Hagler chasing him around the ring the entire night frustrated that he couldnt catch him, Penn was in the same kinda fight. Style match-ups suck sometimes its the nature of the beast, Here is the thing, in combative sports, no one ever said you have to stand in front of your opponent and get hit, as much as its not all that attractive to the majority of the casual fight fans to watch its all to true. The UFC is turning into a BIG MESS anyway from my perspective, Dana White has to much control, has to big of a mouth and often to little respect for the fighters. As an example sit down one day and determine for yourself who you would pay to watch fight on a UFC pay for view event, who at lightweight other than BJ Penn as a headliner? Who at WW other than GSP (and he has gotten old to me) who at MW other than Silva, and I am no Brock fan. I am convinced Dana took the Silva GSP fight of the table, not because of the issue in Dubai, but because of the possible outcome long term of losing a pay perview headliner. However a flip side to that is GSP who does dominate MW refuses to move up or down can just tay where he is, keep fighting Koschek, who cares. BJ moves up down, Silva moves up down always looking to fight the best and good old Dana wont give the fans the fights they want. What about the promise he made in Dubai about giving or paying the fans back for that fight? I mean he crucified Silva over his match with Maia and said absolutely nothing about the absolute robbery over the Penn decision. It wasnt Silva he was pissed at, I’ll tell you what he was pissed at, the time zone difference and the fact the ESPN posted the results of the fight here in the US long before the pay per view started and it cost him viewers. Was he going to go on the air and slam them? no because he needs them so he slammed Silva, not saying what Silva did was spectacular, but comon…. Recently he did an interview with Mike Tyson, anyone see it? its on you tube every other word out of his mouth is F of S this or that as if to say “I know this brother from the Catskills, I’m down” why cant you talk like a normal human being, why would you interview ANYONE like that?
As for Edgar, more power to him, Penn is one of my favorites, Edgar fought perhaps the only way he could to beat Penn, run run run, move move move, much like leonard, its not a necessarily fun fight to watch, now twice but it proved to be effective
I think BJ Penn should dismantle his training camp and start with a clean slate. He got the wrong advice and support from his corner during the fight. Penn was losing all the rounds, but in between rounds, his corner was telling him he was doing good. WTF!!! BJ has been winning most of his fights on pure talent alone. But talent can only take you so far, and eventually the body will no longer respond the way your mind wants it to. He needs to synchronize his mind and body. Yes he needs to step away from MMA for a while. Maybe he should take some time off and train in high elevation and isolated. Maybe spend some time in Big Bear, so he can recondition his body. Even after these disappointing losses, I think he is still the best lightweight in the UFC. BJ finishes fights, and doesn’t rely on someone else deciding that for him. Come on! Who is gonna care about a guy who can “take you down”, but does nothing after that; or a guy who can “move in and out” and “box” well. WTF!!! Gray Maynard vs. Frankie Edgar!!! You gonna tell me that these guys are the future of the lightweight division?!?!?! Ummmm…that’s really sad. Look at their records, and pay particular attention to the DECISION wins. That should tell you everything about these guys.
I agree, Penn IS far too talented to vanish from the MMA landscape. I’m hoping he’ll rest and work on his inner-self and start fresh — body and mind.
~Lis