At UFC 137 this past weekend, one legend has begun while another has likely seen his last days as a competitive, world-class fighter.
BJ Penn took on the highly-touted Nick Diaz in the main event this Saturday, where the two engaged in a “Fight of the Night” worthy performance, though the impressive display came at the expense of Penn.
“The Prodigy” had some success early in taking Diaz to the mat, however, it was all Stockton after that. Diaz battered and bruised Penn with a barrage of shots to the head and body, wilting Penn against the cage on several occasions.
The end seemed imminent for the Cesar Gracie fighter, though the Hawaiian proved durable throughout, ultimately surviving ’til the final bell, though it was clear that Diaz earned the dominant decision victory.
Penn signaled the end of his career post-fight, where his face bore the brunt of the onslaught. With a new daughter on the way, Penn never wanted to comeback home looking like that ever again.
It’s hard to imagine that at 32 years old, Penn could be finished with his career. Those sentiments shared inside the cage were likely coming from a place of frustration and disappointment, though if they ring true, then this will be the last time the lauded Hawaiian reenters the Octagon.
Penn leaves behind a legacy that was built on his initial world title, which he earned in moving up from his natural weight class of 155 pounds, to taking on behemoths in the 170-pound division. His first task was taking on then pound-for-pound great Matt Hughes in 2004, just three years into his mixed martial arts career.
There, Penn managed to cinch the crown with a first-round submission victory over the UFC Hall of Famer. Since then, Penn has made trips to the middleweight and heavyweight division, where he took on future champion Lyoto Machida in a competitive bout early in “The Dragon’s” career.
He later made the move back down to the lightweight division, where he finally earned the belt on his third attempt, making three defenses of his title against the likes of former champ Sean Sherk and The Ultimate Fighter veterans Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez—stopping all men before the final bell.
Penn has done what only you men are capable of doing. As it stands, only him and UFC legend Randy Couture have been able to successfully cinch up world titles in two separate weight classes in the organization, a feat that nobody has dared to attempt since.
With over 10 years clocked in this sport, Penn has left behind a legacy to be remembered, one that has defined him as not only a sure candidate for the organization’s Hall of Fame, but as easily one of the top three best fighters of all time.
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