There will never be another BJ Penn.
After losing a decision to Nick Diaz at UFC 137, the former two-division UFC champion and future Hall of Famer announced his retirement from MMA.
Is this really the end? Have fans seen the last of Penn?
“The Prodigy” finally stepped from the shadows to address the retirement talk and give his prediction on the upcoming welterweight showdown between Diaz and Georges St-Pierre.
HDNet’s Michael Schiavello was on hand at “Pro Elite: Big Guns” to interview a quickly healed Penn a little over a week out from his three round war with Diaz.
“I think this is something I should’ve did after the first Frankie Edgar fight. A bunch of coaches pleaded with me to step away from the sport, take some time off. I was just kind of in the mix. I kept going, I kept going, trying to push myself. I don’t really like the results I’ve been getting, and I’ll just take some time off, take some time away from the sport,” said Penn.
“If I ever feel it again, I’ll come back, if it interests me or excites me. I don’t want to be sitting in the locker room saying, ‘I can’t believe I’m still doing this.’ If it excites me, we’ll see how it goes, but I definitely need some time away.”
With Penn going on an indefinite hiatus, Diaz prepares for the biggest fight of his career against St-Pierre. The fiery debates have already begun about what to expect in the championship bout.
While fans and pundits are entitled to their opinions, Penn may have the best insight and knowledge about this matchup, considering he’s already fought both welterweights.
“I think it’s going to be very, very tough for Nick Diaz to defend Georges St-Pierre’s takedowns, and if Georges St-Pierre wants to turn this into a takedown type fight, I think he’s definitely going to have an advantage,” said Penn.
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