UFC 107 Preview: B.J. Penn's Weight Class Hubris
by Kid Nate on Dec 12, 2009 10:30 AM EST
in MMA News
Email
Print
Dave Meltzer relates this nearly unbelievable factoid:
For years, UFC president Dana White and matchmaker Joe Silva struggled to convince Penn to fight as a lightweight. Penn seemed to have a need, some felt irrational at times, to prove he was the best fighter in the world regardless of size.
In 2005, when UFC and Penn settled their differences after a contract dispute and a lawsuit, Penn asked for his return match to be with Andrei Arlovski, at the time the company's heavyweight champion. Penn was coming off losing a close but dull decision to current UFC light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida in Japan, who was at the time fighting at heavyweight. The unbeaten Machida did not take him apart like one would expect with such a size difference.
Instead, he had to settle for St. Pierre, at the time the No. 2 welterweight in the company.
B.J. lost that fight by a razor close decision, although he would go on to be stopped by GSP in their rematch at UFC 94 earlier this year.
Penn is 3-4 outside his weight class, including 0-3 at welterweight since he returned to the UFC in 2006. But those four losses were to Machida, who was 225 pounds when he fought Penn; a rematch against Matt Hughes (who Penn won the welterweight title from in 2004), the dominant welterweight of the era, and two to St. Pierre, one of the most talented fighters in the sport's short history. His loss to Hughes came in a fight he was winning, until he suffered a rib injury and his stamina went. His first loss to St. Pierre was a close fight, and some still debate the decision today.
Despite that loss, Dana White is on the record as saying that if B.J. can "clean out" the lightweight division he might once again be allowed to move up to welterweight. But there won't be any more immediate title shots. Penn will have to fight his way through a couple of top contenders at 170lbs before getting a crack at the title.
We'll find out tonight if Diego Sanchez can put a wrench in B.J. Penn's plans.
33 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I think Dana should fulfill his wishes and give him Lesnar when he returns
I feel they match-up very closely. I would give a slight size advantage to Brock though. Just slightly though. But Bj definately would control him on the ground. LMAO. F’in Benji just stick to Lightweight. Maybe down the road fight at Welter but you will lose.
Maybe he will be Kimbo's next fight??
by HappyLittleTreez on Dec 12, 2009 11:06 AM EST up reply actions
Didn't Dana say that when Kimbo was in EXC?
That BJ Penn could beat Kimbo in a fight? I’d love to see that
McNeil said on MMA Live that Lesnar lost a lot of weight, around 50 lbs, so maybe he could meet BJ at 200 lbs.
by dancingChicken on Dec 12, 2009 11:14 AM EST up reply actions
That would be awesome!
It would be the equivalent of Krillin versus Brolli!
for all intents and purposes, just consider all my posts as works of satire.
If BJ really wants to help his legacy hes not going to do it by fighting guys at HW. He needs to put on a GSPesque wave of destruction where he beats all challengers at his own weight class. Otherwise hes going to be remembered as one of those great talents who could never get his act together long enough to hold a belt.
Although maybe that last loss to GSP was enough to set him straight for a while.
except that he held the LW belt through that loss, and could probably beat every fighter at 170 except GSP.
by Austin Martin on Dec 12, 2009 11:08 AM EST up reply actions
I want to see Penn/Hughes 3 before Hughes gets too old.
Keep firing Assholes!
Fedor has accomplished nothing until he fights Kimbo.
Translation
“I want to see Hughes sacrificed to Penn before Hughes gets so old that we can’t pretend the subsequent beatdown was anything more than a formality.”
You mean, could not get his act together long enough to hold the belt since 2002? What on earth are you talking about? Consider these remarks from Thomas Gerbasi:
“If Penn beats Sanchez, he will break a tie with Jens Pulver for most successful 155-pound title defenses, most successful consecutive title defenses, and most lightweight championship fights won. Penn already owns the UFC lightweight records for most title fights (currently 5), most championship rounds (19), most KOs in title fights (1) and most submissions in title fights (2). It’s a dizzying array of accomplishments, and a list that stunned Penn a bit when it was brought to his attention.”
Now remind me, what were you mumbling about “getting his act together”?
by teestroyer on Dec 12, 2009 12:55 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
To be fair
Those numbers are also heavily indicative of the historically scattered nature of the UFC lightweight class. It’s a division that’s had been won, vacated, had a tournament end in a draw, dissolved, re-introduced, had a title holder controversially stripped, two contenders vying for a brand new belt, and a defense against previously mentioned stripped champion. Two submissions and one (T)KO in title fights doesn’t impress me due to the thin history of the weight class.
Not to mention, he’s only held the belt since early 2008, not 2002 as you quoted. Thanks to his penchant for long layoffs after fights he’s successfully defended it twice, with a chance to make it three times in two years tonight.
I’m trying to take anything away from Penn’s obvious talent, but the numbers you cropped up are not impressive to me once provided context.
by pdl on Dec 12, 2009 1:24 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Surely you meant “not AS impressive to me once provided context” rather than “not impressive.” Otherwise, you’re simply being silly. Moreover, I still don’t see how the “content” you provided renders the original comments I was criticizing any more sensible. Keep in mind that the original claim was that unless he stays in the LW division, he will be remembered as a great talent who could not “get his act together long enough to hold a belt.” Even if he never fought again, he would already be the greatest LW fighter in UFC history. As such, why in the world would anyone think he “couldn’t get his act together” with respect to the LW division? I, for one, would find his resume less rather than more impressive if he hadn’t manned up to fight GSP, Hughes, Machida, etc., and limited himself instead to the LW division.
That being said, I stand corrected with respect to my claims about how long he has “held the belt.” What I really wanted to point out was that he has not lost in the LW division since 2002. Since then, he has not only beaten LWs ranging from Florian, Sherk, Pulver, Stevenson, Gomi, to Uno, but he has also beaten heavier fighters ranging from Renzo Gracie, Hughes, to Serra. Hell, he even lost a close decision to Machida—who has beaten the piss out of nearly all of the LHWs he’s faced in the UFC. And yet, you still think that his resume is “not impressive” and that if he decides to move up to MW yet again he will be remembered as someone who squandered his talent. Give me a f**** break. If you happen not to like Penn that’s fine. But don’t use that an excuse to make rationally indefensible claims about his status in the LW division
You're talking WAY past me.
Penn is a phenomenal talent. He is generally considered the number 1 lightweight in the world, and you’d be hard pressed to find even a hardcore hater who wouldn’t say he’s top 3. His MMA grappling is stunningly good, his footwork and hands are great, and he can make most of his competition look silly.
I’m saying that being the leader in title fights at LW in the UFC means very little as a statistic due to the history of the division. You could say that he’s beaten every prior LW champ, which he has, but that means significantly less than beating every MW or LHW champ in the UFC. It’s not about talent, it’s that numbers don’t tell the whole story. Not to mention that you’re still saying things that are misleading. He beat Matt Serra at lightweight, so the “bigger opponent” argument is irrelevant in that case. Also, I never said anything about “getting his act together.” I think he is doing fine if he creates a trend of regular title defenses like he is now.
And don’t call me a hater for talking UFC history, I’ve said nothing negative about Penn.
BJ will lose tonight
It is inevitable. He is mentally weak and Sanchez is going to come out like a train on fire and destroy him.
by Douchebag Mcgillicuddy on Dec 12, 2009 11:58 AM EST reply actions
BJ Penn is a unique fighter
Like me, the rest of you read this sentence: “Penn asked for his return match to be with Andrei Arlovski, at the time the company’s heavyweight champion.” and did not immediately laugh your ass off.
Replace Penn with the name of any light weight fighter in the world and see what your reaction should have been. BJ Penn is not mentally weak, the things he has attempted to accomplish in mma show that he is by far the most confident fighter in the UFC right now.
I love Diego, but as we’ve seen by BJ’s past betting lines the guy is unbelievably undervalued. The way people have talked about Machida, they should be talking about BJ Penn. People give BJ flak for not working hard but don’t realize the amount of work even GSP has to do to be at BJ’s level.
Don’t ever forget, BJ Penn has the most apt nick name in MMA.
Couldn't agree with you more
BJ has consistantly fought championship caliber fighters across multiple weight classes his whole career. That takes mental strength not rambling about your “destiny” or doing motivational chanting.
by shortnorthjacket on Dec 12, 2009 12:29 PM EST up reply actions
Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing Penn move up if he beats Sanchez tonight. I would personally have a far greater interest in seeing how Penn could handle guys like Fitch, Alves, and Koscheck instead of continuing to defend his lightweight belt against “the best of the rest” type challengers like Maynard or Edgar. But maybe that’s just me.
I'd like to see him beat
Maynard and Edgar before attempting to move up.
Those guys have definitely earned their title shots. And Maynard is practically a welterweight anyhow.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
Dana White is on the record as saying that if B.J. can “clean out” the lightweight division he might once again be allowed to move up to welterweight.
“Allowed”? Shouldn’t it be a fighters call to say what weight class he wishes to fight in? If it is in a division that he can’t be competetive in, then cut him.
by John Nash on Dec 12, 2009 1:16 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Think of it as making BJ eat his vegtables before getting the cake.
Keep firing Assholes!
Fedor has accomplished nothing until he fights Kimbo.
I still don’t see how people say the first decision win for GSP was debatable. Close yes, but I think GSP very clearly won…
Pride judging...
…Penn takes that.
It’s an L on his record, but in my mind…they’re 1-1.
Penn hit a lucky uppercut that broke GSP’s nose and an eye poke in the 1st round. Aside from that, there wasn’t anything significant he did in the 1st round. Rounds 2 and 3, GSP more or less took him down at will and kept him there. I know Penn will go foaming at the mouth how GSP didn’t do anything except those takedowns, but he himself didn’t even manage to avoid those OR get up after them. Close fight, yes, but GSP clearly did more than Penn – and deserved to win.
by Monday Morning Martial Artist on Dec 12, 2009 4:18 PM EST up reply actions
Gotta love Penn
No lack of confidence with him:)
by havomaster on Dec 12, 2009 3:50 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
MMA Rankings
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
