MMA Fighter Bios: BJ PENN

BJ PENN

BORN: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

6’2, 185 and 205 pound fighter

Aside from a decision loss early in his career against former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver, BJ “The Prodigy” Penn has been untouchable at 155 pounds. He has been able to successfully dismantle opponent after opponent at lightweight. Recognizing his own amazing talents, it has been his aim to reach his full potential—thus venturing off into weightclasses as high as heavyweight to pursue his vision.

Penn has a solid takedown and maybe the best takedown defense in the game. His BJJ a masterful display of technique and submission violence in MMA. Striking-wise he is an excellent boxer with great instincts. He’ll usually look to tag you with his fists, but his timing on throwing heavy knees has become a very useful tool at his disposal.

Nabbing two titles in 2 different weightclasses has been one of Penn’s greatest achievements. He really has an immense amount of faith in his abilities. The vast majority of the MMA world were anticipating a colossal pounding to occur when the lightweight Penn decided to move up to fight Matt Hughes at welterweight. Everyone was shocked when Penn tapped out Hughes in the first round via rear naked choke. Penn’s talents could perhaps not have been harnessed fully had the Hawaiian not always held an unflappable belief he could do the impossible.

Penn was raised to reach for the stars, but he didn’t need to fight. Born into a wealthy family, Penn solely has pursued the fight game because of the challenge and joy it brings him to compete. He is a natural fighter. It comes to him instinctively and his shirts which adorn the phrase “Just Scrap” are a perfect emblem to symbolize that mentality. There’s no shyness about Penn’s aggression and what he’s looking to do—either blast his opponent’s head with strikes or strangle it unconscious with a choke.

Penn burst onto the scene in 2001, and is still going strong. At 155 he doesn’t appear to be slowing down a bit. His losses outside of 155 have come only to some of the greatest champions MMA has seen—Matt Hughes, Georges St. Pierre and Lyoto Machida. The defeat against Machida, who is a bona-fide light-heavyweight fighter was still a remarkable fight for Penn, who lost a close decision to a much bigger and highly skilled opponent.

Penn has just about done it all in the sport. He’s knocked out fighters, submitted them, jumped 3 or more weight classes above him, coached on The Ultimate Fighter, won titles in 2 weight classes, defended his belt twice, and inspired a legion of MMA fans across the globe. His legacy is cemented, there’s nothing more needed to be proved, and there’s still a lot more in him at age 30. He’s still the champ and at the top of the mountain but checking the horizon for further peaks to embark on.

PENN THE PROFESSIONAL STRANGLER

If Penn takes your back it’s just a matter of time it seems before it’s rear naked choke time.

Here’s his wins by rear naked choke, which have all been key victories:

Kenny Florian, to defend his 155 pound title

Joe Stevenson, to win his lightweight belt

Jens Pulver, to avenge his only defeat at 155

Matt Hughes, to win the UFC welterweight belt

Takanori Gomi, putting to rest who the best lightweight was at the time