Battling B.J. Penn

Currently head coach of the blue team on the Ultimate Fighter 5 TV show, B.J. Penn has many remarkable achievements. Formerly UFC welterweight champion "The Prodigy" will make you snap out or tap out with his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. With a remarkable record of 10 wins (4 by knockout and 4 by submission), 1 draw, and 4 losses he has had a long successful career. Beginning his Jiu-Jitsu study at 17 B.J. Penn was the student of his neighbor, Tom Callos, in Hilo, Hawaii.

B.J. Penn entered his first tournament in Bakersfield, CA. Winning both his weight and the open weight class 1997 started off as a great year. Entered as a blue belt in the Joe Moreira Tournament "The Prodigy" destroyed his opponents. He also won a submission grappling tournament around June 1997. Entering Brasileiro and placed 4th in his weight class, blue belt category B.J. Penn was moving up quickly in his career. Continuing to enter tournaments upon return from Brazil, B.J., placed first consistently. Receiving his blue belt from Ralph Gracie at the end of 1997 "The Prodigy" ended the year with a bang. In 1998 he won a silver medal at Brazilian Mundials competition in his weight division, and received purple belt upon return. The medals don't stop there in 1999 he won a bronze medal at Brazilian Mundials in a heavier weight class. Penn winning the Brazilian Mundials as a newly promoted Nova Uniao brown belt. A Gold medal win for Penn in the Copa Pacific Tournament in Los Angeles. Receiving a black belt from Andre Pederneiras just 3 weeks before the 2000 Mundials B.J. Penn truly is the ultimate fighter. Never before has someone attained a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in as little as four years. The average time to recieve a black belt is 8-10 years. The end of 1999 he joined the Nova Uniao Competition Team which is reserved for the four top competitors. In 2000 B.J. was the first non-Brazilian to win gold medal in black belt division of the Mundial World Championships held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Then, challenges ADCC North American Trials Champion, Mike Cardoso at Grapplers Quest West in Las Vegas, Nevada and dismantles him 30-2 on points in a 20 minute match.

Holding notable wins over Matt Hughes, Takanori Gomi, Jens Pulver (yellow team coach on the Ultimate Fighter 5 TV show), and Caol Uno B.J. Penn has beat the best of the best. His nickname "B.J." is short for "Baby Jay", as he is the youngest of his male siblings named "Jay Dee Penn. He maybe last in his family line, but certainly not last in the mix martial arts line! Penn joined the UFC in 2001 where he knock outed out lightweights Din Thomas and Caol Uno. Off to a great start Penn then suffered a loss to Jens Pulver who was the light weight champ at the time. Pulver leaving the UFC in 2003 left the light weight title up for grabs. Penn fought Uno at UFC 41, which ended in a draw. The light weight's not looking so prosperous the UFC suspended the division.

A year later B.J. Penn came back with a vengeance getting an impressive win over Japanese sensation Takanori Gomi. The crowning achievement of Penn's UFC career came in 2004 at UFC 46. Penn jumped up in weight class to challenge the five-time defending welterweight champion Matt Hughes. Hughes lost the fight four minutes into the first round by a rear naked choke.

As if being the UFC welterweight champ wasn't enough, Penn then signed to fight in the K-1 organization. No rest for the weary! The UFC promptly stripped him of the welterweight title belt, claiming Penn breached his contract and that the signing constituted him refusing to defend his title. Penn filed a suit against the UFC and publicized his side of the conflict, claiming his UFC contract had already expired. Penn filed a motion to stop the UFC from awarding a new welterweight title, but that motion was denied. Defeating Duane Ludwig in his first K-1 fight, B.J. Penn had other fish to fry. Penn moved up in weight class to face the undefeated Rodrigo Gracie. "The Prodigy" also beating Renzio Gracie at K-1 Grand Prix Hawaii. A true MMA champion B.J. continued to fight.

In 2006 Penn joined the UFC for the second time. Dana White and Penn settled on an agreement that would let Penn battle for the welterweight title. At UFC 54 Penn lost the bout to Canadian fighter Georges St. Pierre by a close split decision. St. Pierre injured himself right after the fight and an announcement was made that Penn would replace "GSP" in the upcoming title fight. This set up a highly anticipated re match with Hughes for UFC 63.

Penn controlled the first two rounds, but he sustained a rib injury during the scramble to take Hughes' back in round two severely limiting his breathing capacity. He was visibly different in the third round not being able to breathe properly. Hughes was able to take Penn to the mat in a side control position and rain punches on Penn's head until referee John Mc Carthy stopped the fight at 3:53 of the third round, making this the first time that Penn had been stopped in a fight. In an interview found on Penn's personal web site, Penn stated that by round three he could hardly breathe and had no "mobility in his core." Despite his injury, he congratulated Hughes, calling him a great fighter, and said he deserved his victory. Recently BJ has announced that he will continue to fight in the UFC and remains dedicated to regaining the welterweight title.

In 2007 B.J. Penn became coach for the UFC 5 reality tv show. Penn lead a team of eight lightweight fighters, and fought a re match against Jens Pulver at the conclusion of the series on June 23, 2007. He won with a rear naked choke in the second round after controlling Pulver from the mount and then taking Pulver's back. He finished the fight after trapping Pulver's left arm with his leg and sinking in the choke. Now he wishes to return to 170lbs weight class to perhaps have a rematch against Matt Huges, George St. Pierre, or current champ Matt Serra.

SOURCES: BJPenn.com, En.wikipedia.org/wiki/B.J._Penn