Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight champion BJ Penn, who also wore gold at 170 pounds, has now lost seven straight fights inside the Octagon and holds just one victory since late 2009.
Penn, 40, is currently mired in the longest active losing streak in UFC history.
But following his unanimous decision defeat to Clay Guida at the UFC 237 pay-per-view (PPV) last weekend in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, “The Prodigy” did not sound like he was in any big hurry to retire from mixed martial arts (MMA).
“I know I am on a losing streak. I think they said it is the longest in UFC history or something. But that being said, I am not going out there and getting knocked unconscious,” Penn told BJPenn.com. “There are tons of guys, who would be considered in their prime, who still get knocked out cold – even this past weekend.”
“Guys” like Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Sergio Moraes, who were both stiffened at UFC 237, though I’m not sure I would call either of them “prime.”
“I still feel good and the desire to compete is still there,” Penn continued. “It was a good scrap with Clay, who is a really tough fight for anybody at 155. You know what they say Chris, Babe Ruth set a record for most strikeouts too, right? But in all seriousness, I do this because I love it. Anderson Silva said it best: Never feel sorry for the Lion, because the Lion doesn’t feel sorry for himself when he is surrounded by a bunch of Hyenas ready to die.”
Silva also lost at UFC 237 after injuring his leg.
During his current losing streak, Penn (16-14-2) has only been stopped twice by strikes. After getting busted open by Frankie Edgar at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 19 Finale, the Hawaiian returned against Yair Rodriguez nearly three years later, going down in flames in the second stanza.
If and when Penn does return to the cage, who would you, as a fan, like to see him fight?