It’s been a busy few months for some of the greatest legends in MMA. First, heavyweight GOAT Fedor Emelianenko un-retired to fight in Japan at Rizin Fighting championships. Then, reports came out that welterweight GOAT Georges St. Pierre was undertaking a six-week training camp to see if he had any desire to fight. About two weeks ago, the UFC’s most famous lightweight champion, B.J. Penn, headed to Jackson-Winkeljohn in hopes of returning to the octagon. That means it’s time to do some matchmaking for the hall-of-famer.
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WHY IS B.J. COMING BACK?
Penn and his team specifically targeted UFC 197 as his requested return date. That just happens to be the card that Conor McGregor will attempt to make history in a champion vs. champion matchup against Rafael dos Anjos. Holly Holm will also make her first title defense against Miesha Tate, who is the biggest women’s star behind Ronda Rousey.
This just smells like a cash grab by Penn, who would stand to make a significant sum as part of what will likely be one of the highest grossing pay-per-view cards in UFC history. Penn hasn’t fought in over a year, and is winless in his past four fights. In “The Prodigy’s” last fight against Frankie Edgar, the Hawaiian took a vicious beating for three rounds before he was TKO’d in the third. Even worse, he put forth almost zero offense of his own.
Penn’s beatdown at the hands of Edgar wasn’t just a one-time thing. His two fights prior, against Nick Diaz and Rory MacDonald, followed the same storyline. B.J. literally just stood in front of his opponents and ate punches. While we have to admire his toughness, these fights show that it’s hard to believe that he can be competitive against top-tier opponents anymore.
For somebody that many consider the best lightweight champion in UFC history, it’s sad watching Penn refuse to stay retired. Not only does it tarnish his legacy, these prolonged thrashings could seriously be jeopardizing his long-term health.
The saddest part is that the UFC will probably give him a fight. He’s still a big-name, and there’s money to be made if a card has Penn on it. The show must go on, so here’s a few fights that would make sense.
THE CALLOUT MATCH
B.J. Penn +250
Nik Lentz -300
Penn and Lentz have some serious beef, and Penn is trying to monetize it with a proposed grudge match at UFC 197. It all stems from a fallout with the Hawaiian and trainer Mike Dolce, who brought in Lentz as a training partner for The Prodigy’s matchup with Frankie Edgar. Something went seriously wrong, and Lentz famously wrote a scathing diss poem back in October.
Yes, a diss poem. Not quite on the same level as Tupac’s “Hit ‘em up”, but Penn took exception to it regardless. He extended a challenge, through Instagram of all things, for Lentz to back up his words in the octagon. Lentz is ranked No. 14 by the UFC, and while he’s not a title threat, he’s a solid, active fighter. You’d have to think he bust B.J. up a bit.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
B.J. Penn +350
Cub Swanson -425
Picking a dance partner for Penn is tricky. He’s declined too much to pit him against a contender, but he’s too famous to fight a mid-level guy without any name value. A guy like Cub Swanson makes sense for Penn. Swanson is not long removed from top-6 status and is coming off back-to-back losses.
What’s more, Swanson would be willing to stand and trade with Penn, giving him an actual shot of making it a fight. Make no mistake, Swanson would be a heavy favorite, but his aggressive fighting style would actually force B.J. into action. Nobody wants to watch Penn take another beating without returning fire, like he’s done for his past three fights.
SO YOU’RE SAYING THERE’S A CHANCE
B.J. Penn +110
Clay Guida +110
Guida, like Penn, has fallen far from the top of the class. However, he’s still a popular fighter among fans, because of his frenetic pace and his penchant for exciting fights. But it’s how he fights that would give Penn a chance to show the world the very skills we fell in love with in the first place.
Penn’s flexibility in his takedown defense is one-of-a-kind. It’s hard to forget how he fought off Matt Hughes’ takedowns with his legs split at a greater than 180-degree angle. Watching Penn fend off Guida in the same manner could produce the same magical results. Plus, Guida’s rudimentary striking would give Penn a chance to score a TKO, which would be a storybook return for The Prodigy.
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