UFC legend and two-time champion BJ Penn has his next fight lined up, and it’s going to be against a top prospect. Penn was supposed to make his big MMA return at UFC Fight Night 97 in October against Ricardo Lamas. However, Penn has suffered an injury in training and pulled out of the bout and caused the event to be canceled.
Penn will now fight Yair Rodriguez in the main event of the UFC Fight Night Phoenix event in January in a featherweight bout.
Penn will compete for the first time since July 2014. Penn is no doubt an MMA legend as he has won UFC titles in multiple divisions and he won his fight title in 2004 as a welterweight. He won the lightweight title in 2008. He holds a pro-MMA record of 16-10-2 record coming into the fight. Rodriguez, on the other hand, is on a seven fight winning streak and holds a 9-1 pro-MMA record. He has earned Fight of the Night or Performance of the Night bonuses in three of his last four bouts.
The event takes place on Sunday, January 15th at the talking Stick Resort Arena, which marks the first time that the UFC has held an event in the city since 2013. Tickets go on sale next month, and the main card will air on FOX Sports 1.
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