He wrote:
‘The Prodigy’ argued that he was clean his whole fighting career and didn’t take any performance-enhancing substances. B.J. Penn was also a pioneer in bringing lower divisions to mainstream attention during the early days of the UFC.
Undoubtedly regarded as one of the greatest fighters of all time, Penn defeated the likes of Matt Hughes, Kenny Florian, Jens Pulver, Renzo Gracie, Matt Serra, and Diego Sanchez in his prime.
However, the Hawaiian has been criticized for continuing to fight well past his prime. From 2011 to 2019, he went on a seven-fight losing streak in the UFC.
Still not officially retired from MMA, B.J. Penn continues to train regularly, as seen in his social media posts.
UFC president Dana White was in awe of B.J. Penn during his prime
Dana White commended B.J. Penn for being the first crossover pay-per-view star for the UFC. Interestingly, White has also mentioned Chuck Liddell in the same breath.
B.J. Penn’s argument about being the GOAT can be disputed. Despite Dana White claiming that Penn ‘built the 155-lbs division,’ lightweight has seen a rise in elite fighters since the Hawaiian’s downfall.
The star-studded division comprised Khabib Nurmagomedov, one of the most dominant champions in UFC history. The Russian retired from MMA with an undefeated 29-0 record.
The lightweight roster also comprises Irish megastar Conor McGregor. Former interim champions Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson also actively compete in the division. The weight class is currently ruled by Charles Oliveira.
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