B.J. Penn’s return delayed until UFC 197 in April

B.J. Penn was expected to return to the cage next month, but a change of plans has caused a delay to his comeback fight.

A slight change has been made to former UFC welterweight and lightweight champion B.J. Penn’s comeback fight.

Penn was expected to return to the Octagon next month at UFC 196, and the bout was everything but official. However, he is now expected to fight a month later, in April, at UFC 197.

“I thought the fight guaranteed was going to happen because the UFC, they set up medicals for me to do,” Penn told his website, BJPenn.com. “I did the medicals and they were sending a film crew down and we were getting all that together and I assumed we were setting up the fight, and that might have been what was happening. But, at the end of the day, (UFC matchmaker) Sean Shelby called me and said it would be more convenient for all of us to move the fight to April 23.”

Penn knew who his opponent was for the planned March 5 date, and according to the UFC Hall of Famer, his opponent won’t change for the later date. With that being said, Penn’s opponent has still not been confirmed, however the most likely fights are Penn vs. Dennis Siver or Nik Lentz.

“From what I understand, it is the same opponent and that is it. We’re going to meet on that card.”

Penn (16-10-2) is widely considered as one of the greatest of all times, as he is one of two fighters to hold UFC titles in two different weight divisions. “The Prodigy” holds victories over Sean Sherk, Matt Hughes, Matt Serra, Kenny Florian, among others. His most recent win was a trilogy matchup with Hughes in 2010.

Penn officially announced his return last month in an interview with The MMA Hour and is training at the 2015 Gym of the Year Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque, NM for his upcoming camp.

UFC 197 takes place live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 23. In the main event, UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier defends his belt against former titleholder Jon Jones in a highly anticipated rematch.

B.J. Penn was expected to return to the cage next month, but a change of plans has caused a delay to his comeback fight.

A slight change has been made to former UFC welterweight and lightweight champion B.J. Penn’s comeback fight.

Penn was expected to return to the Octagon next month at UFC 196, and the bout was everything but official. However, he is now expected to fight a month later, in April, at UFC 197.

“I thought the fight guaranteed was going to happen because the UFC, they set up medicals for me to do,” Penn told his website, BJPenn.com. “I did the medicals and they were sending a film crew down and we were getting all that together and I assumed we were setting up the fight, and that might have been what was happening. But, at the end of the day, (UFC matchmaker) Sean Shelby called me and said it would be more convenient for all of us to move the fight to April 23.”

Penn knew who his opponent was for the planned March 5 date, and according to the UFC Hall of Famer, his opponent won’t change for the later date. With that being said, Penn’s opponent has still not been confirmed, however the most likely fights are Penn vs. Dennis Siver or Nik Lentz.

“From what I understand, it is the same opponent and that is it. We’re going to meet on that card.”

Penn (16-10-2) is widely considered as one of the greatest of all times, as he is one of two fighters to hold UFC titles in two different weight divisions. “The Prodigy” holds victories over Sean Sherk, Matt Hughes, Matt Serra, Kenny Florian, among others. His most recent win was a trilogy matchup with Hughes in 2010.

Penn officially announced his return last month in an interview with The MMA Hour and is training at the 2015 Gym of the Year Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque, NM for his upcoming camp.

UFC 197 takes place live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 23. In the main event, UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier defends his belt against former titleholder Jon Jones in a highly anticipated rematch.