Author: By Frank Curreri

ANAHEIM, Nov. 12 – It’s almost impossible to out-Guida Clay Guida, but Benson Henderson somehow managed to beat the hyper-energetic grinder at his game over the course of 15 minutes in the UFC on FOX co-main event Saturday night. The reward for Henderson’s unanimous decision triumph is immense, and the Arizonan made that abundantly clear afterward when he declared to the crowd at Honda Center: “Frankie Edgar, we got a date. Let’s do it, baby.” Watch post-fight interview with Benson Henderson

While Henderson’s stingy takedown defense was key – the newly crowned No. 1 contender is a former collegiate wrestler, after all – his most amazing saving grace came in the waning 60 seconds of the all-out, back-and-forth scrap. Guida sunk in a deep guillotine choke. Everybody in the arena watched the struggle with bated breath. Would Henderson tap? Or would he go unconscious?

But once again, as he did against Donald Cerrone in their epic first fight, “Smooth” Henderson displayed an almost supernatural resilience to chokes. Trapped in a narrowing vise grip around his carotid arteries, Henderson is somehow able to breathe and move when no one else could. Guida squeezed with everything in that final minute and Henderson always somehow managed to change the angle on the choke ever so slightly, allowing him to breathe and eventually wiggle free. The Houdini-esque escape proved the dagger for Guida, whose gutsy performance could not overcome having Henderson take his back in both the first and third rounds and arguably get the better of their standup exchanges, as reflected in judges scores of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

“He’s hard to deal with, has a high energy, awkward pace,” said Henderson, the former World Extreme Cagefighting champion who is now 15-2 and boasts back-to-back wins over Jim Miller and Guida.

Guida had won four straight entering the bout, largely on the strength of his smothering and overpowering takedowns and ground assault. He was clearly the crowd favorite, with fans chanting “Guida! Guida! Guida!” for portions of the bout, especially early on, when he and Henderson elected to stand and trade toe-to-toe. But where other foes could not stop Guida’s explosive takedowns, Henderson was able to. Never was that more evident than in the third round, when Guida shot a double leg like a raging bull and ran Henderson clear across the cage – only to still be denied the takedown. Watch post-fight interview with Clay Guida

GARZA VS. POIRIER

Quietly but undeniably, Dustin Poirier is becoming a force to be reckoned with in the UFC featherweight division. The 22-year-old Louisianan notched his fourth straight win with a second-round D’Arce submission victory over 14-2 Pablo Garza. Showcasing his trademark intensity, Poirier pushed his lanky 6’1” foe around for much of the fight (throwing Garza to the canvas no less than four different times) and methodically beat him up with punches before finishing matters with a D’Arce choke from half-guard top position.  Watch post-fight interview

“I’m a purple belt, I train with Tim Cradeur,” Poirier (11-1) said immediately afterward to Joe Rogan. “A lot of you guys haven’t seen my ground skills because I like to tuck my chin and bang. I feel amazing. I came here the best I’ve ever been.”

LAMAS VS. SWANSON

Cub Swanson cinched in a super-tight guillotine choke early in round one and an embattled Ricardo Lamas made a promise to himself: ‘He’s going to have to put me out.’ Watch post-fight interview

But with all his might, Swanson could not choke Lamas unconscious. And though the Greg Jackson protégé appeared to handily win round one, Lamas’ second life would come back to haunt Swanson, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who one round later found himself the victim of a role reversal: Lamas trapped Swanson in an arm triangle. With no room to wiggle or breathe, Swanson tapped out at 2:16 of the round.

“I wasn’t tapping, man, he was going to have to put me out,” an emotional Lamas (11-2) offered afterward. “My grandmom passed away a week to go today. I just want to dedicate this fight to her. Te quiero mucho.”

Asked about Swanson’s choke, Lamas had this to say: “It was very tight, man. I couldn’t breathe. Thank God he let go because I couldn’t hold out much longer.”

JOHNSON VS. HARVISON

The up-and-down UFC career of DaMarques Johnson is “up” again after he swiftly annihilated Clay Harvison with a vicious two-punch sequence just 94 seconds into the fight. The TKO victory pushed the Utah native’s record to 18-9. The devastation was set in motion by a potent left hook that dropped Harvison; a booming right hand from The Ultimate Fighter season 9 finalist sealed the deal. Watch post-fight interview

YAMAMOTO VS. UYENOYAMA

In his heyday, Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto wielded an aura of intimidation and awed fans and foes alike with his explosive knockout skills. But whatever remained of the Japanese superstar’s fearsome ways likely vanished in the Octagon on Saturday when the Tokyo legend was thoroughly outclassed by world-class grappler Darren “BC” Uyenoyama. While Yamamoto did drop Uyenoyama with a stiff straight left, and busted Uyenoyama’s nose and cut him over the eye (and executed a textbook judo throw), most everything else of consequence that unfolded featured the San Franciscan either hanging from Yamamoto’s back or peppering him with punches. Watch post-fight interview

Uyenoyama likely came within seconds of finishing the fight in the first round, sinking in a deep rear naked choke as the final seconds waned. An oxygen-challenged Yamamoto faintly motioned his arm several times, but it seemed inconclusive as to whether it constituted an official tap and so the bout carried on.

Judges scored it 30-27, 30-26, 30-27 for Uyenoyama, who improved to 7-3. Yamamoto (18-5, 1 NC) has now lost four of his past five fights, which is sure to deepen speculation that his best years have come and gone.

“I wouldn’t have imagined being here 10 years ago,” Uyenoyama, a highly-decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, told Joe Rogan in the post-fight interview. “Without the sport of jiu-jitsu I would have never made it.”

Asked whether Yamamoto had, in fact, tapped, Uyenoyama said, “I thought he might have. You know, I don’t know.”

SEMERZIER VS. PERALTA

A competitive contest took a sudden turn when an incidental but violent clash of heads sent Mackens Semerzier crashing to the canvas early in the third round, prompting Robbie Peralta to unleash a hail of punches for a referee stoppage at 1:54 of round three. Semerzier had caught a Peralta kick in the first round and floored him with a right to the chin. But Peralta stunned Semerzier a round later and then again in the third.  Watch post-fight interview

Now 16-3, Peralta departed the cage with a large hematoma forming on the side of his head, courtesy of the collision of heads.

ESCOVEDO VS. CACERES

An unpredictable array of kicks, spinning backfists and strikes propelled Alex “Bruce Leroy” Caceres to his first UFC win, a unanimous decision over former World Extreme Cagefighting champ Cole Escovedo (17-9). Despite Caceres’ 5-4 record entering the bout, the contest was decidedly one-sided throughout. Escovedo, a submission specialist, was finally able to take Caceres down in the third round, but it was Caceres who threatened with triangle choke/armbar and omaplata variations, cementing the triumph for the Miami, Fla., southpaw. Watch post-fight interview

PIERCE VS. BRADLEY

When two talented wrestlers collide – a boxing match usually breaks out. That is precisely what happened in this rematch between aggressive welterweights, with former University of Iowa wrestler Bradley gunning for revenge for a 2009 loss. The 28-year-old Bradley was effective with kicks early and popped Pierce with some hard shots in the first round, drawing blood under Pierce’s eye and causing swelling. Pierce responded in the next round, scoring with the heavier punches and snapping Bradley’s head back with hooks and jabs. The third round was very close, but the judges awarded Pierce a split decision by scores of 29-28, 30-27 and 28-29. The Oregon fighter improved to 13-4. Bradley is now 18-4, 1NC. Watch post-fight interview

LUCAS VS. ROSA

Fatigue didn’t make a coward of 37-year-old Matt Lucas, but it certainly stifled the light heavyweight’s UFC debut against Aaron Rosa. The latter notched his first win inside of the Octagon with a rather ho-hum, difficult-to-watch victory over Lucas, a former collegiate wrestler who for the most part unsuccessfully tried to make a wrestling match out of their 15 minutes in the cage. Lucas, who had prevailed in five straight headed into the contest, was winded midway through and suffered a point deduction for what referee John McCarthy deemed an intentional spitting out of his mouthpiece. With their fighter slowing down, Lucas’ cornermen repeatedly encouraged him to attack more, yelling “Come on Matt, punch him back!” and “Please Matt, let’s go, start fighting!” Watch post-fight interview

A slimmed down Rosa, who lost his UFC debut to Joey Beltran at heavyweight, seemed content to coast throughout with light punches and a modest Muay Thai attack. He improved to 17-4; Lucas fell to 14-3.

Earning legendary status is virtually every fighter’s fantasy. Yet few ever prove worthy of immortality among the ages. In the Land of the Rising Sun, the short list of timeless MMA stars is headed by names such as Sakuraba, Gomi, Sudo, Aoki and Akiyama. Another widely revered and dynamic figure in Japan, near the very top of the list, is the bundle of fast-twitch ferocity that is Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto. The Japanese superstar who just happens to be Darren Uyenoyama’s next opponent.

They say that when you beat another fighter, you steal a part of his achievements, a part of his power transfers to you. This potential inheritance is part of what drives Uyenoyama.

“Ten years from now people will talk about Kid Yamamoto and what he did in his career,” Uyenoyama said in the days leading up to his UFC debut. “Other people would kill for these opportunities. I’ve been really fortunate, so I want to make the most out of it.”

The UFC on FOX undercard matchup, which will be broadcast live and free on Facebook, strikes at the heart of Uyenoyama’s identity and therefore carries even greater consequence to him. He is a third-generation Japanese-American whose ancestry can be traced to Buddhist Church officials who relocated to Hawaii to serve Japanese migrants who worked in the cane fields. Though he was born in San Francisco, 32-year-old Uyenoyama had long romanticized Japan and its celebrated MMA scene. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner went from spectator to participant back in 2002, when he needed $3,000 to cover expenses for his wedding. A Japanese MMA organization offered him a fight – for exactly $3,000. Uyenoyama accepted, and notched his first pro win via decision before walking down the aisle and tying the knot.

A veteran of Strikeforce, Uyenoyama has fought on several other occasions in the land of his ancestors. In his most recent fight, last year, the heavy underdog upset then-Shooto champion Shuichiro Katsumura in a non-title affair. Despite notching the biggest win of his career, Uyenoyama feels unfulfilled and disappointed regarding his time in Japan. He had expected more, wishing the Japanese would embrace him as one of their own.

“Me being a Japanese-American, I wanted to be accepted by them, to show that I was worthy,” he said. “I was a big fan of the Japanese MMA scene so I had this view that it was so great. Then I went over there and saw how things really were and I was kind of jaded by it. It was really hard because when I was fighting there they wanted me to behave like a Japanese fighter but they treated me like a foreigner. They didn’t treat me too well. Every situation that they brought me in for was on like two weeks’ notice against one of their best guys. And they would always want me to bring like one cornerman, or no cornermen, you know. I felt like I was being set up to fail.”

After a lengthy contract dispute, Uyenoyama signed with the UFC. The Ralph Gracie black belt was surprised to learn that the opponent for his UFC debut would be a Japanese legend.

“This was supposed to happen a long time ago (in Japan),” Uyenoyama said. “Even though this is in the UFC it’s really a Japanese MMA fight. You have two guys who are known in the Japanese MMA scene so I think it will be super-exciting. I don’t see myself holding back and playing it safe and I don’t think he will play it safe, either.

“I see him coming across the ring. He’s going to judge if I’m intimidated; I’m going to show him that I’m not. I will close the distance with him and display how good my grappling and top position ground and pound is. If I end up on bottom I will show some transitions and submissions that have never been seen before.”

With a Pan American championship and World Grappling Games title on his resume, Uyenoyama’s world-class ground skills are beyond reproach. Yet the nine-year veteran has never been able to shake the one-dimensional label of being “a jiu-jitsu guy” in MMA. Because of that reputation, Uyenoyama suspects that Yamamoto is salivating at the matchup.

“Honestly, I think he thinks this is an ideal matchup for him,” Uyenoyama said. “He knows that I’m a smaller 135-pounder because I plan on going down to 125. So he won’t be fighting one of the bigger guys like Michael McDonald or something. I think they see me as a smaller, less physically strong guy in the 135-pound division. And he’s got a good record against (so-called) ‘Jiu-jitsu fighters.’ He’s beaten Bibiano Fernandes, Rani Yahya and Royler Gracie. So I think they see me as fitting into a mold of fighters that he’s beaten already.”

Uyenoyama took the fight precisely because he believes the scouting report on him is a bunch of hooey.

“People go, ‘Ah, he’s just a grappler or a jiu-jitsu guy that tries to take everybody down. But I’ve sparred with a lot of guys like Chris Cariaso and Joachim Hansen … these guys have all been huge influences on me,” Uyenoyama said. “So people who think I’m just a grappler are in for a big surprise. This is the first time I’ve had a full camp to prepare for a fight and my striking is a lot better than what I’ve shown in fights before. My grappling for MMA is better than ever. There’s also a huge stylistic difference between me and most jiu-jitsu guys. What they’re underestimating is that when I fight high-level competition, I tend to meet that high level of competition. I’ve been fighting guys with 30 plus fights since I had my fifth fight. Every time I step up. So I think they’re anticipating what I’m going to do – but I don’t even know what I’m going to do.”

Uyenoyama (6-3) and Yamamoto (18-4, 1 NC) are not strangers. The paths of the grappling ace and explosive knockout artist have crossed numerous times before, with each encounter marked by cordiality and respect.

“I wouldn’t say we’re friends but we’re pretty friendly,” Uyenoyama said. “We e-mail each other, and when he was here in the states he would call me for directions. We have a lot of mutual friends. He had been at my last three fights and would always come up to me afterwards and say, ‘Ah man, that was a good fight.’ A fighter from his camp came to the states and stayed with us. So I wouldn’t say we’re friends – I’m not going to pull the Tito Ortiz–Chuck Liddell thing – but we’re acquaintances, I guess.”

Mindful that the once-dominant Yamamoto has dropped three of his past four fights, Uyenoyama defended his foe, touching on the oft-discussed hard luck that Japanese fighters have experienced inside the Octagon in recent years (with “hard luck” meaning fighters other than Yushin Okami not being very successful). Uyenoyama even floated an interesting theory for the curious trend.

“It’s not just Kid specifically, but Japanese fighters in general have had a rough run in the UFC lately,” Uyenoyama said. “I think a lot of it can be attributed to travel. When the Americans flew over to fight in PRIDE sometimes they were losing a lot. Right now we’re seeing it more with the Japanese. I think it’s travelling, being away from home, having to rely on a new diet, the time changes, knowing where to get food and how to eat properly, getting thrown off when you travel to a foreign country.

“For him (Kid) as an individual, he’s got a lot of responsibilities; he’s got a huge gym and a lot of fighters that he’s training now. And in Japan he’s a huge star, as big, if not bigger, than (Japanese TV star and UFC fighter Yoshihiro “Sexyama”) Akiyama. So I’m sure he has other obligations.”

Uyenoyama also has a lot on his plate, juggling training, instructing at his academy and family life. The time crunch forced him to sacrifice trips to the bay.

“You know, I like surfing. Shoot, if I could be a professional surfer I would drop this fighting thing in a heartbeat!” he said. “Unfortunately, I’m not that good at surfing. Before I was fighting in the UFC I would go all the time. But now, with so much on the line, I haven’t been surfing for months. That’s something I miss out on, especially because the surf is so good this time of the year. So I read the surf reports but I’m locked in the gym. Other than that, I’m just focused on raising my kids.”

For Uyenoyama, there is a strong link between fighting and fatherhood. They are not mutually exclusive. He fights for self-revelation, hoping to pass on lessons learned to his children, just as his ancestors did.

“My great grandfather was placed in an internment camp during World War II,” he said. “My grandfather served in the U.S. Army and, at the time, even though there was the Vietnam War and the Korean War, people in the U.S. didn’t really differentiate between if you were Vietnamese, Korean or Japanese. If you were Asian you were referred to as a ‘Jap’ or some other derogatory term. So from my mom’s generation down to me we were always taught that we had to stand up for ourselves or work harder so that we weren’t looked down upon. From my family’s experience we always had a chip on our shoulders. I would hear stories from my grandmother all the time about how we needed to work twice as hard to get the same recognition, so that has definitely impacted me.

“For me, fighting is a personal test. I have a gift for it and I feel an obligation to that gift to see how far I can go. Fighting has taught me that I’m a lot tougher than I originally thought. It’s taught me to work hard for what I want. It’s allowed me to be a good example for my son … We live in a weird time. We have a lot of people doing this “Occupy Wall Street” stuff and people kind of feel entitled to stuff. Martial arts have given me a way that I can earn every dollar. It’s given me a way to teach my son that you can make it if you work hard. That’s the most important thing it has given me.”

“Hats off to Nick Diaz, he’s the man. Joe, it’s probably the last time you’re ever going to see me in here. I can’t keep, uh, I want to perform at the top level. That’s it, Joe, I’ll shake your hand right here. I’ve got a daughter (and) another daughter on the way. I don’t want to go home looking like this. I’m done.” – BJ Penn, speaking to UFC commentator Joe Rogan immediately following his unanimous decision loss to Nick Diaz at UFC 137.

Needless to say, those heart-felt comments from a physically exhausted Penn, his left eye badly swollen and nearly shut, blindsided most spectators, especially the man holding the microphone and asking the questions.

A haggard-looking BJ was just a few minutes removed from having absorbed and weathered the worst beating of his famed 10-year career. Yet the Hawaiian hero is only 32 years old. He is still in his physical prime, still a crowd-pleasing headliner, still in possession of some of the slickest boxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills in the fight game. So his spontaneous declaration inside the Octagon, if BJ does indeed make good on it, would make him a notorious exception to the laws of probability: To my vast recollection, the number of legendary UFC fighters who have voluntarily walked away from the sport age 32 or younger is … ZERO.

The enigma that is BJ has always walked to the beat of his own drum, so you can never discount that he will become the first to break the mold. But a great many fans, in keeping with the natural skepticism of many reporters and fans who have witnessed too many pro fighters flip-flop on retirement vows, will only believe in a BJ Penn denouement if they never see the former two-division world champ fight again over the next few years. Indeed, two days after his 15-minutes of riveting reckoning with Diaz secured Fight of the Night honors, Penn himself seemed to subscribe to the school of thought that fighters – like people in general – should refrain from making decisions while consumed by raw emotions or while the fresh wounds of battle make it hard to rise out of bed in the morning or scamper to the fridge.

“I want to thank all of the fans for their love and support. I’m going to take some time off to enjoy life, train and teach. I will keep you guys’ posted with what’s next,” was what Penn wrote on his Web site, BJPenn.com, on Monday.

I’ve seen a lot of gifted fighters up close. And if I endeavored to rank which fighters are must-see every time they fight, no matter who the opponent is, I’m not sure whom I would peg in the No. 2 slot. But the guy who consistently and always delivers as the No. 1 fighter-as-entertainer is easy: My vote goes to BJ Penn. Unequivocally. Without hesitation, no need for deliberation.

I don’t have a Hawaii birth certificate and have no ties whatsoever to the Aloha State. Fortunately, you don’t need to hail from the nation’s 50th state to have been emotionally moved time and again by the former lightweight and welterweight world champion, who was game to fight anybody – even going up three weight classes to take on 205-pound Lyoto Machida. The baby-faced Hilo fighter, Hawaii’s most popular and adored athlete, alongside Philadelphia Phillies All-Star center fielder Shane Victorino, never needed a Fight of The Night bonus check as incentive to leave it all in the cage. BJ just always brought it. Straight from the heart. That was the one certainty with him – whether he stepped into the cage shredded at 155 pounds or slightly bloated at 170 pounds, whether fighting on a full tank or on fumes, he always came to throw down and to take the other guy out. He “brought it” despite the fact that everything else about his training camp preparation, diet, etc., was usually a humongous question mark leading up to his fights.

You know the questions that always shadowed him: Which BJ will show up? How hard did he train for this fight? How much longer does he want to fight? Is his heart still in it?

Penn has often been cast as a supreme athlete, with uncanny fight instincts, who never quite poured 100 percent of himself into fight preparation. Yet every time this guy fought, electricity filled the arena. He never backed down when the fists were flying, never backpedaled, never stopped trying to finish a fight. And he never ran from an a—whipping if he had to be on the receiving end once his cardio had betrayed him. And, in my mind, even before he ever stepped into the cage, Penn (16-8-2) was a force to behold. For my money, his walkouts are among the three or four best in the sport’s history, neck and neck with Matt Hughes and Chuck Liddell.

As I’ve often said, many times in sport (and in life) the anticipation of THE  MOMENT can actually be as compelling and gripping as THE MOMENT itself. BJ Penn embodied the power of anticipation. His walkouts to the late Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’s hybrid anthems of “E la E” and “Hawaii 78” are so visceral and palpable. You can feel in that moment, while witnessing his accelerated swagger toward the cage, that he is not only fighting for himself, out of personal pride, but for the pride of all his people. BJ is to Hawaii what Manny Pacquiao is to the Philippines. Only Hawaii has just 1.35 million people, versus 92 million for the Philippines. BJ is the Hawaii fans’ ambassador, a representation of their ferocious will. It is a role that differentiates him from nearly all other fighters, who fight for their own fulfillment and dreams. With BJ, despite a rather privileged upper class upbringing, it is always as if he had showcased extra heart because he would much rather suffer tremendous physical agony than disappoint his people, his fans. Even when his legs went wobbly in the Octagon, even when his heart-rate shot up and lactic acid overwhelmed his muscles – as they did in contests against Georges St-Pierre, Jon Fitch and Diaz — he dared not let his fellow Hawaiians down. He dared not quit, even when his not-quite-in-peak-shape body screamed for him to quit.

So you must understand that when BJ walks to the cage to “Bruddah IZ,” it is a particularly emotional experience for his sympathizers, who view him as a brother, a loved one. Those songs hold deep symbolic meaning to the Hawaiian people, signifying unity and a preservation of their proud island culture during times when outsiders tried to take their lands.

“When that song plays, every Hawaiian in the house stands up and it gives you chicken skin. BJ lifts everybody’s spirits up,” said Blaise Soares, a 36-year-old Hawaii native who is a former pro boxer and Golden Gloves champion. “BJ Penn is the biggest name in Hawaii culture. Hawaiians love MMA because fighting is something we’ve been doing since we were in diapers. We all learn how to fight in the backyard with the boxing gloves or wrestling. People love BJ because he brings it. He brought the fight to Diaz. There were a few moments where I thought the fight might get stopped, but BJ just kept coming back, which prevented the referee from stopping the fight. But it hurt me to see him take so many punches, the big shots. I think that took a lot out of (our) people.”

It was a battle between two stallions who should be the poster boys for the slogan, “Let’s Scrap.” BJ Penn had to be transported to the hospital for treatment immediately following the fight, so he could not attend the post-fight press conference, which featured Dana White making a very poignant observation about what had transpired in the cage.

“In the 10 years we’ve all seen BJ Penn perform and fight,” White said, “you’ve never seen BJ Penn get busted up. He got busted up tonight, let me tell you.”

That “leather skin,” as Dana called it, could not withstand the nearly 260 strikes unleashed by Diaz – an extraordinary volume of punches. While Diaz’s punches often appear to be moving in slow-motion, those blows inflict much more damage than often meets the eye because of the tremendous snap and whip Diaz puts on them – enabling him to not just land “arm” punches, but to also put the force of his body weight behind them. Those are the kind of punches that can split even a fighter with “leather skin.” While BJ had claimed Diaz was a near mirror image of himself, the difference in the all-out war of attrition was that Diaz has the limitless cardio of a Triathlete.

There will be naysayers who criticize Penn for his at times questionable work ethic, the fact that he did not appear as obsessive or disciplined in all facets of his training as some other elite pros. There is the prevailing perception, even among his most ardent defenders, that BJ could have given more to his art. That he should have left Hawaii more frequently for better training camps, that he should have dieted more stringently throughout his career. So, despite two world titles, and a BJJ black belt world title, it is possible that we never really saw the Best B.J. there could have been. Yet what Penn MIGHT HAVE accomplished should not detract from all that he ACTUALLY accomplished. He was such a sponge, such an instinctive wonder, a one-in-a-million natural fighter and entertainer. In fact, his perceived flaws are perhaps part of the reason so many people empathize with him. There is a vulnerability that emanates from BJ and his aura. He does not fight like a stoical machine, as some do, but as an emotional human. He is impulsive. There is an unpredictability about him. You never really know what the guy is going to do next (even when he says he’s retiring!).

Personally, I prefer my fighters emotional, with a chip on their shoulder, as if they’re out to exact some revenge for something disrespectful you said. That was BJ Penn. A BJJ wizard who often preferred to beat the other guy up standing and excelled at it. He made you pick your poison.

BJ’s legacy is bulletproof. Two wins over Matt Hughes, triumphs over Sean Sherk, Kenny Florian, and Jens Pulver and Takanori Gomi in their primes. You could also make a strong case that BJ deserved to get the nod in his first fight against St-Pierre (which Penn lost via split decision despite inflicting more damage on the Canadian).

If he does return, my best guess is it’ll be at 155 pounds. BJ is 1-3-1 in his past five fights and seems better suited when he has defined abs and is competing against guys his own size. Some day the UFC will host a show in Hawaii, and maybe we’ll see 60,000 plus people in an outdoor stadium. Wouldn’t it be awesome if BJ was on that card? How could he resist being on that card?

It is fitting that one of the sport’s most enigmatic figures again has the rest of us guessing. His opponents in the cage often had no idea what was coming next. Once again, nobody knows BJ’s next move.

“BJ Penn will always be a legend to the people of Hawaii,” Soares said. “Hawaii has a lot of up and coming fighters and there will be another Hawaiian champion someday. But I don’t think there will ever be one as big as BJ Penn.”

You got that right. They didn’t make two. They didn’t make two.

Days before the big stage get-it-on that will reveal if he can handle “the crème de la crème” of heavyweights, the talking machine that is Matt Mitrione is as chill and conversational as ever. It’s late Sunday night and the Indianapolis-based father of three is winding down after spending much of the day celebrating the birthday of his six-year-old son, Jacob (the highlight being a family trip to the chaotic kiddie paradise that is Chucky Cheese).

The unbeaten UFC heavyweight (5-0) loves kids, but expressed no plans to rival Evander Holyfield, Antonio Cromartie or Shawn Kemp – notoriously fertile athletes that have fathered large nests.

“We’re going to cap it at three kids,” Mitrione assured.

For the uninitiated, one of Mitrione’s gifts to the world is his hyper-candor. The former NFL defensive lineman (New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings) seems willing and able to tackle any topic. You could throw him on CNN, for serious query, and he’d probably be compelling. Then you could throw him on the Howard Stern Show, under an outrageous and unpredictable line of questioning, and he’d likely prove even more entertaining. So, over the course of a 45-minute talk, The Ultimate Fighter alum indulges my curiosity and we spend quite a bit of time talking about things that have nothing to do with the super-ripped 6-foot-4 Frenchman that promised to knock him out this Saturday night in the UFC 137 co-main event.

I ask: “Which current NFL players do you think have the temperament and physical skills to be elite fighters?”

(Note: Deep down, fervent Baltimore Ravens fan that I am, I was hoping the name Ray Lewis would arise on Mitrione’s list).

Alas, the man who proudly calls himself “Meathead” promptly disappointed me.

“I think Jeremy Shockey would be a fantastic fighter,” Mitrione said of the two-time Super Bowl-winning tight end, who possesses a well-documented mean streak on the field and was a teammate of Mitrione’s when both played for the 2002 New York Giants. “And I think James Harrison, (All-Pro) linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, would also be phenomenal. The reason he would be excellent is … obviously he’s highly aggressive, highly athletic and highly coordinated, but he was also cut five times as an undrafted free agent and he stuck with it. So that shows resiliency, that his ego was in check. He had that mentality, ‘I know I’m better than this guy and I’m going to prove it, whatever stresses it puts me and my family through, this is something I have to accomplish.’ That kind of resiliency is the mark of a champion, an undying competitor. The relentlessness that I see in him is why I think he would be great. Not just an also-ran – he would be great.”

There is a vicarious quality to Mitrione’s assessment of James Harrison. He once walked in the ferocious, hard-hitting linebacker’s shoes. Harken back to mid- October 2006, Week Six of the NFL season. Mitrione got called into a coach’s office and was immediately rocked with a haymaker he didn’t see coming; “We have to cut you.” Failure to perform his duties. No severance pay. No more checks coming in.

The final pro stats for Mitrione, who had been undrafted, were not grand enough to inspire braggadocio. Plagued by foot injuries, Mitrione had played just two seasons, recording just four career tackles along the way. But, like most competitors, he thought he could beat the odds and be the exception. He flirted with the idea of a comeback and waited for a callback that never came. James Harrison’s NFL story featured triumph. Mitrione’s featured fizzle.

“My son was born a week after I was cut,” Mitrione said. “I was 27. I thought, ‘I can’t rely on other people for a paycheck. I need to be responsible and stop chasing The Dream.’ So I went and worked for Corporate America for two years, designing and selling corporate employee benefit packages. I covered the entire state of Wisconsin, minus Milwaukee and Madison. I drove like 3,500 to 4,000 miles a month. I wore a suit and tie. And I was miserable.”

By his own admission, Mitrione underachieved as a football player. This may seem odd given that he was All-State and honorable mention All-American in high school, and second-team All Big Ten at Purdue University with a keen knack for tackling the opposition behind the line of scrimmage for losses. The scouting report on him read like this:

Pros: Intelligent. Athletic. Versatile. High motor.

Cons: Way too much of a partier. Too smart for his own good. Undersized.

Reflecting on his football career, he says, “I could have been much, much better. I was always a drinker and I partied pretty hard.”

He started fighting MMA in 2009 after discussions with a buddy, former Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth (now with the Washington Nationals), a fan of the sport and small show promoter. Thus began the professional rebirth of Matt Mitrione, and a determination to not party away his immense talent as he did on the gridiron. Highly regarded for his natural fight instincts and for being a virtual sponge of techniques, Mitrione also packs one-punch knockout power, making him a threat to win any fight, at any time, against any foe.

“I bring leather just about as hard as anybody in the UFC,” he said.

But against Kongo (26-6-2), the experience factor looms large. Kongo has the second-longest tenure in the UFC among heavyweights and will be making his 15th Octagon appearance Saturday night. Only Frank Mir, a UFC vet since 2001, has more fights among heavyweights. Mitrione, meanwhile, has just two years at the pro level and five pro fights.

“Skillwise it’s a big step up,” Mitrione said. “But is it that much of a step up? I don’t know. We’ll find out on Saturday if I get my a– kicked.”

In Mitrione’s estimation, Kongo’s single greatest attribute makes him the equivalent of a human hornet’s nest.

“He is most dangerous when he is in danger,” Mitrione said, mindful of Kongo’s miraculous comeback knockout win over Pat Barry in June. “That’s the one thing you have to be sharp about. If he (Kongo) gets knocked down he stays active. But I think that I’ve shown in the vast experience of my five fights that if I knock somebody down, I’m patient.”

To beat Kongo, Mitrione said, he cannot afford to be “lazy on my feet. I’ve got to keep my feet moving.”

I ask Mitrione how he sees himself. Does he foremost see himself as a football player who took up MMA or an MMA guy who used to play football?

“I’m in that transition period now,” he said. “Maybe six months ago I was still a football player that was learning how to fight. I feel that now I’m much more of an MMA guy. I know more about my body, diet, cardio, grappling and setups. So I’m becoming an MMA fighter. But I think I’ll always be an athlete that can do this, that or the other. And I don’t know how to classify that.”

Yet MMA has taught the 33-year-old Mitrione that athleticism can only take a man so far in the fight game. In fact, in many cases, he believes that being an elite athlete could be an obstacle.

“Just because you’re a phenomenal athlete doesn’t mean you’re really coordinated — and you have to be really coordinated to be a good fighter, from what I’ve seen,” Mitrione said. “It sounds silly, but some people can make incredible plays on the field but they can’t walk and chew gum at the same time. It’s strange to see but it’s true. So that’s not necessarily true that because a guy is a great athlete that he’ll be a great fighter. There’s a lot of times that you can be a great athlete … most of the time they are much more athletic and stronger than the average MMA athlete, even top-tier UFC fighters.

“But a lot of times the best fighters are grinders and wrestlers because they’re just more mentally tough than a lot of football players are, and their egos are much more in check. Most of them (athletes who become the best fighters) weren’t allowed to whine or be babied in college, so they were required to be much more accountable than a lot of football and basketball players are. So I think that would be the downfall of a lot of football and basketball players that were trying to be fighters; they’ve been babied so much and their egos have been catered to so often. Whereas a wrestler gets told all the time by coaches, ‘You suck.’ Or they just get the s— beat of them until they get something right. Now, if a great athlete could keep his ego in check and understand that sooner or later they’re going to get their a—kicked in front of five million people, then I think they would be fine.”

Frank Mir tops all heavyweights with 18 UFC appearances over the past decade. The big man with the second-most Octagon performances? Believe it or not, the distinction belongs to Mr. Cheick Kongo. The striking specialist has been under the Zuffa umbrella longer than world champ Cain Velasquez, longer than No. 1 contender Junior dos Santos, and longer than Shane Carwin, Mirko Cro Cop and Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Noguiera, among others.

The sculpted Frenchman battles former NFL player Matt Mitrione this Saturday in what will mark Kongo’s 15th foray inside the sport’s most celebrated and symbolic cage. And none of the 36-year-old’s appearances was more exhilarating than his unforgettable 159-second scrap against Pat Barry, who had twice dropped Kongo with punches and immediately charged his equilibrium-challenged prey in search of the finish – only to be flattened unconscious by two thunderous and desperation right hands that he never saw coming. The improbable ending of that June tussle stands as one of the sport’s most dramatic comeback victories ever, forever worthy of a place in any highlight reel, and served notice that Kongo may not be the “gatekeeper” some presume him to be, but may in fact still be marching toward the title shot that has long eluded him.

“If I get the chance to fight (for the title), I would be happy,” said Kongo, typically a man of few words during interviews and 9-4-1 overall in UFC bouts. “I know the line is very long, but hopefully, yes, I would like to fight for the belt as soon as possible.”

It was Kongo, you might recall, who gave unbeaten heavyweight kingpin Cain Velasquez his toughest challenge to date. Kongo is the only fighter that Cain wasn’t able to stop inside the distance. All the other Velasquez victims succumbed under a relentless hail of punches, and only Kongo somehow weathered the storm in the 2009 showdown – and a hellacious storm at that. Cain, beastly wrestler that he is, ragdolled and pounded the 240-pound Paris native for almost the entire 15 minutes. So overwhelming and one-sided was the abuse, it was dubious whether Kongo would survive the first round. Yet Kongo showed exceptional resilience and became the only opponent to wobble Cain with punches (exposing at the time an apparent chink in the younger Cain’s armor which included a lack of head movement and failure to adequately set up his takedowns with strikes).

Mitrione (5-0) certainly doesn’t present the brute force that Cain does (who can?). But the engaging character is a former collegiate and professional football player in possession of a silver tongue, top-flight athleticism and the kind of fighting instincts that can’t be taught. The Purdue graduate is a hard-hitting 260-pounder who seems to grow leaps and bounds with each passing month both in standup and on the ground. But, by his own admission, he has never fought anyone as dangerous or “crème de la crème” as Kongo (26-6-2). Obviously, this is a huge litmus test for Mitrione, and a win for him boosts his stock considerably.

“Everyone gets a chance to face someone famous,” Kongo said. “It’s a good thing for him. Matt is a likable guy and has done well so far; I respect him as a fighter and expect for him to give a good fight. Ultimately, he’s going to be ready for the bout. I’ve fought for so many years and been so careful.  I learn a lot from my last mistakes and I will do my best. But 40 fights, yes, that’s something greater so I am greater here (in experience). He’s in great shape. Let’s see. So I wish him good luck next Saturday.”

Mitrione, who has trained with Neil Melanson, Rashad Evans and Jake O’Brien for this fight, has been equally respectful of Kongo, but finds the matchup favorable.

“I expect to win. I’ve got a good punch, very quick hands, aggression and a damn good chin,” Mitrione said. “I can put a lot of pressure on Cheick Kongo. I’m definitely going to stand and bang with him; the question is if he’s going to stand and bang with me?”

A reporter asked Kongo if there was anything in particular about Mitrione that concerns him.

“Well, I don’t have anything to say about that,” Kongo said. “I’ll be aware of his boxing, jiu-jitsu and wrestling. In the last fight (against Barry), I guessed incorrectly and he was on top of me. He surprised me and I didn’t expect it. Now I’m getting better. And I’d just like to be better for the next time, everybody improves. I came here to win and I will win. I’m going to knock him out.”

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, longtime teammate and sparring partner of Kongo, predicted a very exciting fight, however long it lasts.

“Matt brings it,” Jackson reasoned, “and Kongo ain’t scared to bring it.”

Precious few fighters are able to spark a love affair with Germany’s mainstream. Brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, heavyweight world boxing champions, are virtual royalty in Deutschland (easily able to draw 60,000 fans to a stadium for a prizefight). The slick and elusive Sven Ottke (34-0) and knockout artist Dariusz Michalczewski (48-2), also boasting world championship resumes, were also fan favorites before their retirements.

Dennis Siver? Well, he’s still climbing the ladder of notoriety in the land of Volkswagens and BMWs, where the sport of mixed martial arts is still largely treated as second-class citizenry compared to boxing.

“I have never met the Klitschko brothers, unfortunately. I don’t even think they know who I am!” Siver said, days before his UFC 137 battle with Donald Cerrone.

Decidedly low-key, Siver’s aspirations – if achieved – would define his legacy and perhaps make most of his distracted countrymen suddenly take notice.

“I want to be the first German UFC champion,” the 32-year-old said through an English translator. “That really motivates me. This is my fuel, my motivation, to make my fans happy seeing me winning.”

And win he has. To the surprise of many, the European pioneer has ripped off four straight wins, even becoming the first lightweight fighter in the UFC to knock off George Sotiropolous (7-0 in the UFC before Siver outstruck and upset him via unanimous decision at UFC 127). Fresh off a topsy-turvy, nail biting win over Matt Wiman, Siver (19-7) now faces perhaps the most formidable foe of his pro career in Donald Cerrone. Like Siver, Cerrone (16-3, 1 NC) has been red-hot of late, winning five straight in one-sided fashion. The former bull rider’s most eye-opening victory was a TKO annihilation over highly-regarded contender Charles Oliveira.

“Cerrone is a very dangerous opponent because he is able to fight and attack from every conceivable position,” Siver said of the 6’0” Greg Jackson protégé, who went unbeaten as an amateur kickboxer but has submitted 12 opponents in his pro MMA career. “He doesn’t tire and will stay on you relentlessly. This is going to make for an exciting and interesting fight. But when an opponent dismisses me, it only motivates me more. The list of those who haven’t taken me seriously is long and littered with rude awakenings.”

Siver’s perception of being slighted might be rooted in Cerrone’s pre-fight sentiments.

“I’m not too worried about him, to be honest,” Cerrone said. “I just figure every guy I go up against is going to be tougher then the last. Dennis comes to fight and I expect exactly that. And he better be at his best.”

While many of the world’s elite fighters train in North America or Brazil, Siver (Russian by birth) prefers to sharpen his skills in his adopted homeland. He very much subscribes to the ‘If it ain’t broke …’ mantra.

“I like training with my long-term training partners,” said the stocky striking specialist, who lives in Mannheim, Germany. “I have never said that training in Germany is more effective. I just like staying with my family and friends in Germany and I’m used to my gym and the people there. I’m a big proponent of never changing a winning team. I may not be training with one of the big camps, but my team, Kiboju, under head trainer Nico Sulenta, has helped me get better with every single fight. I get pushed more from fight to fight and it has helped me become a true mixed martial artist.”

Previously an accomplished pro kickboxer, Siver has added to his arsenal with stingy takedown defense, underrated jiu-jitsu and respectable takedowns. A former master car mechanic who can rebuild an engine from scratch, Siver must now find the fix to turn back the challenge of an opponent who will have a decent height and reach advantage.

“No predictions,” Siver said. “I respect Donald, he’s a great fighter. We both like to bang so I sparred a lot. But of course I did my wrestling and BJJ training as well because you never know where a fight will go. May the best man win on the night.”