Tag: UFC 152

Dana White Says Junior Dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez 2 Targeted for UFC 152

Junior dos Santos won his UFC heavyweight belt at UFC on FOX 1 when he knocked out Cain Velasquez in the first round. It was an incredibly quick affair that left many fans feeling unfulfilled. Even UFC President Dana White was critical of the bout when…

Junior dos Santos won his UFC heavyweight belt at UFC on FOX 1 when he knocked out Cain Velasquez in the first round. It was an incredibly quick affair that left many fans feeling unfulfilled. Even UFC President Dana White was critical of the bout when he questioned Velasquez’s game plan in the post-fight show.

At UFC 146 last month, both fighters won their fights in dominant fashion. Velasquez completely mauled Antonio Silva to earn a first-round stoppage. Dos Santos was just as impressive when he stopped Frank Mir in the second after picking him apart with strikes for eight minutes.

Following the pay-per-view, it was announced that the UFC was trying to put together a rematch between the two heavyweight giants.

Well, it looks like we don’t have to wait, as Ariel Helwani tweeted earlier this evening that the UFC was targeting UFC 152 in Toronto as the battleground for this heavyweight rematch: 

This is fantastic news for the UFC, which has been dealing with a string of injuries that have deeply affected fight cards. A bout between Velasquez and Dos Santos is sure to bring in a ton of pay-per-view buys as well as a sellout crowd in Toronto. 

It’s also great news for the Canadian fans, who always want the biggest and best fights. In Velasquez vs. Dos Santos II, they’ll get both. And with the news that they are trying to put B.J. Penn vs Rory MacDonald on the card, UFC 152 could turn into a can’t-miss event. 

So, mark your calendars—UFC 152 is the new UFC 148. Everyone’s gonna wanna go! 

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Dana White Reports That BJ Penn vs. Rory MacDonald Targeted for Toronto

The rumored return of BJ Penn is one step closer to becoming a reality says UFC President Dana White.White confirmed at the UFC on FX 3 press conference that Joe Silva will be speaking with Penn this evening about a proposed bout with Rory MacDonald. T…

The rumored return of BJ Penn is one step closer to becoming a reality says UFC President Dana White.

White confirmed at the UFC on FX 3 press conference that Joe Silva will be speaking with Penn this evening about a proposed bout with Rory MacDonald. The bout is targeted for UFC 152 in Toronto on September 22nd.

Following a hard-fought decision loss to Nick Diaz at UFC 137 in October of 2011, Penn announced his retirement from the sport. It was bitter sweet for many as he’s always been a fan favorite. It just seemed like his heart was no longer in fighting. By all accounts, he also wanted to spend more time with his family. 

The UFC attempted to drag Penn out of retirement with a proposed bout against Josh Koscheck. Penn apparently was not interested, and he turned it down. He apparently was enjoying spending his time in retirement. 

Earlier this week, news broke that Penn was interested in facing Rory MacDonald. Rory wanted to face the former welterweight champion before Penn hit the downswing of his career.

The bout is not yet confirmed as Penn still needs to speak with UFC matchmaker Joe Silva. However, should he agree to face the up-and-coming welterweight, it is expected the bout will be the co-main event of the card.

It is expected for the fight to be confirmed later this evening or tomorrow morning. 

**Update: The UFC has announced that both Penn and MacDonald have verbally agreed to the bout, which is tentatively scheduled to take place September 22 on the UFC 152 card in Toronto.

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BJ Penn Comes Out of Semi-Retirement to Fight Rory MacDonald


(Whether you’re a Muay Thai fan or a foot-fetishist, that is one sexy kick.)

When BJ Penn turned down fights against Gilbert Melendez and Josh Koscheck, we figured it was because he was holding out for…well, a third fight against Matt Hughes, if you want to get specific. You know how it is with these old legends. They take a couple losses to younger contenders, and all of a sudden they’ll only consider fights that “make sense,” which usually means big-name opponents who are also on the downside of their careers.

In other words, we just assumed that Penn felt Melendez and Koscheck were too dangerous, and that facing either of them could be harmful to his legacy. So it comes as a bit of a surprise that Penn has now accepted a fight against young welterweight killer Rory MacDonald, who is not a superstar, but is one of the most dangerous sons-of-bitches in the UFC.


(Whether you’re a Muay Thai fan or a foot-fetishist, that is one sexy kick.)

When BJ Penn turned down fights against Gilbert Melendez and Josh Koscheck, we figured it was because he was holding out for…well, a third fight against Matt Hughes, if you want to get specific. You know how it is with these old legends. They take a couple losses to younger contenders, and all of a sudden they’ll only consider fights that “make sense,” which usually means big-name opponents who are also on the downside of their careers.

In other words, we just assumed that Penn felt Melendez and Koscheck were too dangerous, and that facing either of them could be harmful to his legacy. So it comes as a bit of a surprise that Penn has now accepted a fight against young welterweight killer Rory MacDonald, who is not a superstar, but is one of the most dangerous sons-of-bitches in the UFC.

During an appearance on The MMA Hour earlier this week, MacDonald expressed his desire to face the Prodigy before it’s too late: “That’s a guy I really want to fight. I respect him a lot. He’s a legend and I think it’d be a really good matchup for me to have that fight in Toronto…I’d love the opportunity to fight a guy I’ve looked up to for a long time and watched since I’ve been a young kid, so we’ll see if he accepts…how many opportunities am I going to get to fight a guy like BJ after he’s gone?”

Rory’s offer spurred BJ Penn to make a brief statement on his website: “Rory, I accept your challenge!”

The fight would likely take place at UFC 152, September 22nd in Toronto. MacDonald has won his last three fights in dominating fashion, scoring a unanimous decision win over Nate Diaz at UFC 129, then notching TKO wins over Mike Pyle and Che Mills. The GSP protege is still just 22 years old and would take a large step in the public consciousness with a beatdown of Penn. Does anybody think BJ can stop that from happening?

UFC 152 Preview: Once Great B.J. Penn Now Merely an Opponent for Rory MacDonald

It’s a sad moment, one that happens inevitably to all great athletes.In football it can come in an instant—one moment Emmitt Smith is gliding through a crack in the line, plowing a linebacker and heading for daylight. The next, he’s on the Arizon…

It’s a sad moment, one that happens inevitably to all great athletes.

In football it can come in an instant—one moment Emmitt Smith is gliding through a crack in the line, plowing a linebacker and heading for daylight. The next, he’s on the Arizona Cardinals and picking himself up behind the line of scrimmage again and again.

Basketball’s Michael Jordan went the same way. In the blink of an eye you go from soaring above the rim with the world champion Chicago Bulls to standing around yelling at your teammates, somehow a Washington Wizard, to sporting a Hitler mustache in an underwear commercial.

In combat sports, a fighter can measure his mortality by the number of young guns looking to make their names on the back of his accomplishments. Those looking to use him as a measuring stick, to show fans, sponsors and matchmakers that they’re no longer prospects. Boys looking to become men.

B.J. Penn, once the champion of the world, once feared by fighters in two weight classes, is now just an opponent.

Rory MacDonald, who called out Penn Monday and received an affirmative yesterday, isn’t afraid of B.J. Penn. He doesn’t see a legend looking to fight his way back to the top. He smells meat. Fighters up and down the card do. B.J. Penn isn’t a challenge anymore in their minds—he’s an opportunity.

It’s an important part of the architecture of athletics. Penn and other legends (like contemporary Matt Hughes, who faced many impromptu challenges once it was clear he was no longer in his fighting prime) are supposed to build the next line of stars.

This has been the way of the world for decades. In 1951, Joe Louis took one on the chin to build the legend of Rocky Marciano. Last month, “Sugar” Shane Mosley made a man of Saul Alvarez. It’s how stars are created in this industry. And that’s fine.

 

 

But Penn has already done his part. He lost twice to lightweight star Frankie Edgar, transferring his own credibility to a new generation of champions. Osmosis by fisticuffs. Had he stuck to his retirement, he could have left the sport with his head held high.

We wouldn’t have any sad memories of B.J. Penn in over his head. Of B.J. Penn—who once knocked out Caol Uno in seconds and sprinted out of the cage, who relished tasting his opponent’s blood, who upset the great Matt Hughes—looking overwhelmed, sad, old, waiting for that burst of energy that will never come.

Like so many before him, Penn doesn’t know when to quit. And so the sadness will come. Inevitably B.J’s struggles will remind us he is mortal, and by doing so, remind us we too are one day closer to death. We’ll struggle to remember Penn as he was in his youth, but the memories of his late career failures will linger, impossible to forget.

B.J. Penn had done things the right way. He was a champion, and no man’s stepping stone. Opponents once met him in the middle with a glint of fear in their eyes. Now he’s nothing but prey, waiting to take his lumps from a new cast of predators. It’s sad to see him back like this.

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B.J. Penn Willing to Come out of Retirement for Rory MacDonald at UFC 152

Recently, the MMA world has been wondering what it will take to get B.J. Penn out of retirement and back inside the UFC cage. Every attempt that Zuffa made to bring the former lightweight champ back was declined, as Penn was seemingly happy spending ti…

Recently, the MMA world has been wondering what it will take to get B.J. Penn out of retirement and back inside the UFC cage. Every attempt that Zuffa made to bring the former lightweight champ back was declined, as Penn was seemingly happy spending time with his family. Even Josh Koscheck was unable to draw the Hawaiian out. 

Well, it appears that it just took the right fight and the right fighter to motivate Penn. Rory MacDonald recently stated that he wanted to face Penn at UFC 152 in Toronto. His intentions are seemingly pure, as he wants to face the legend before he hits the end of his career. 

Penn has apparently accepted the challenge as he released a short statement via his personal website saying, “Rory, I accept your challenge.” 

The UFC has yet to confirm the fight but it is expected that this will be booked. The UFC is in dire need of main-event-caliber fighters, and Penn still has a name in the industry. The fight also makes sense from a rankings perspective, as Rory is currently in need of a big-name win to propel himself into title contention. 

Personally, I love this fight. I, like many, believe that Rory is the future of the division. A matchup with B.J. Penn will provide a look at his development as a fighter. It’s likely that Penn won’t continue to fight much longer, so it’s best to use his name to build future stars before he leaves the sport permanently. 

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B.J. Penn Willing to Come out of Retirement for Rory MacDonald at UFC 152

Recently, the MMA world has been wondering what it will take to get BJ Penn out of retirement and back inside the UFC cage. Every attempt that Zuffa made to bring the former lightweight and welterweight champ back was declined, as Penn was seemingly ha…

Recently, the MMA world has been wondering what it will take to get BJ Penn out of retirement and back inside the UFC cage. Every attempt that Zuffa made to bring the former lightweight and welterweight champ back was declined, as Penn was seemingly happy spending time with his family. Even Josh Koscheck was unable to draw the Hawaiian out. 

Well, it appears that it just took the right fight and the right fighter to motivate Penn. Rory MacDonald recently stated that he wanted to face Penn at UFC 152 in Toronto. His intentions are seemingly pure, as he wants to face the legend before he hits the end of his career. 

Penn has apparently accepted the challenge as he released a short statement via his personal Website saying, “Rory, I accept your challenge.” 

The UFC has yet to confirm the fight, but it is expected that this will be booked. The UFC is in dire need of main-event-caliber fighters, and Penn still has a name in the industry. The fight also makes sense from a rankings perspective, as Rory is currently in need of a big-name win to propel himself into title contention. 

Personally, I love this fight. I, like many, believe that Rory is the future of the division. A matchup with BJ Penn will provide a look at the development of the young Canadian. It’s likely that Penn won’t continue to fight much longer, so it’s best to use his name to build future stars before he leaves the sport permanently. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com