Tag: BJ Penn Comeback

Earlier this week, UFC President Dana White made headlines after labeling former UFC lightweight and former UFC welterweight champion BJ Penn as an ‘underachieving’ fighter, saying that “The Prodigy” could’ve been the best of all-time had he perhaps focused more. The 37-year-old former champion has since gotten wind of those comments, and it appears as if he had mixed feelings regarding the situation.

Speaking with KOHN2, Penn described White’s claims as ‘flattering’ but ‘sad’, adding that he hopes to one day show the UFC boss that he had reached his full potential:

“It’s flattering and it makes you sad at the same time. It’s strange for me to talk, because it’s like one side we’re talking about this Hall-of-Fame career guy, and on the other side, I’m just trying to prove myself. You got to talk about two different people, two different BJs at times. It’s his opinion and he’s entitled to that, and all I can do for my side is get in there and show them. Maybe Dana White will look back and be like, ‘You know what? Look at him now. That guy really did reach his full potential.”

Penn should get the opportunity to win over White, as he’s made it clear that he’d like to make a return to action. In fact, he was scheduled to compete last June at UFC 199, but he was pulled from the bout after violating USADA’s (United States Anti-Doping Agency) guidelines pertaining to IV rehydration. “The Prodigy” is currently looking to return in November at 145-pounds:

“The fight now should be around November,” Penn said. “That’s when we’re looking to come back, so we’re going to talk to the UFC and 100-percent, we want to get back out there, 145 (pounds), and we’re gonna do this. See where this takes us.”

Penn has lost his last three bouts to date and was most recently seen on the wrong side of a brutal beating from Frankie Edgar in 2014, but the Hawaiian has since moved to New Mexico to train under the tutelage of legendary head coach Greg Jackson. Does Penn have one more run left in him?

The post BJ Penn Fires Back At Dana White’s ‘Sad’ Claims appeared first on LowKick MMA.

BJ Penn stands along side only one man in an elite class in mixed martial arts given that he’s only one of two fighters to have ever held a title in two different weight classes in the UFC. “The Prodigy” spent time as both the UFC lightweight champion and the UFC welterweight champion and produced a legendary career in the process.

UFC President Dana White, however, feels as if Penn could’ve been better than he was. In fact, White recently labeled “The Prodigy” as an underachieving fighter, and added that Penn would likely agree with him:

“That’s a loaded question,” White chuckled when asked by TMZ to name an underachieving fighter. “Listen, there’s guys and girls that probably don’t reach their potential, because they don’t… BJ Penn.

“BJ Penn probably should have been one of the best ever, to ever live, to ever do it. But, BJ was so talented, you know. I just… I don’t know. I think BJ, in his own words, would go back and do things differently if he could.”

If this is indeed how the Hawaiian feels about his iconic career, he may be able to patch up some holes as he announced earlier this year that he would be making his return to competitive fighting under the tutelage of highly-touted trainer Greg Jackson. That return, however, has been postponed after Penn was notified by USADA (United States Ant-Doping Agency) for the use of medically-administered IV during a non-fight period. His punishment is currently unclear, but the 37-year-old had intentions to resume his career prior.

The post Dana White Believes BJ Penn Could Have Been The Best appeared first on LowKick MMA.