B.J. Penn's future still very much undecided

Like most, I’m anxious to know whether B.J. Penn will fight again.

Honestly, I didn’t take his hint at retirement this past October too seriously -- only because it came immediately after a very difficult loss to Nick Diaz and without a ton of conviction. He still has good years left. Very few pro athletes walk away from those.

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When I met Penn for lunch on Friday in Las Vegas, I went in thinking he might not explicitly tell me, "I’m coming back," but I admit I expected something at least along those lines.

It’s been three months since the Diaz loss: certainly not an eternity but enough to dull the sting of defeat. And enough time, I thought, for Penn to start itching again.

After spending more than an hour with him, though, I can’t tell you whether Penn is retiring. But I can tell you he’s much more serious about it than I thought.

For the first time in more than a decade, Penn says he’s living a "normal" life. If you’ve followed his career, you know he’s not a guy who is back in the gym 48 hours after a fight.

Throughout his career, for better or worse, Penn’s approach to the sport has been to train hard for the fight, fight, then enjoy life ("party" is one way he described it) for six to eight weeks.

Right now, because Penn is unsure whether he’ll fight again, he’s not purposefully trying to live it up before heading to a grueling training camp. The result is that he’s living a normal life instead of one always on one end of the spectrum. And he likes it.

“I’m enjoying my time away from the sport. That’s where I am right now,” Penn said. “I’m living a regular life instead of living the roller coaster. I haven’t [lived a normal life] in 15 years.
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Ask me some other time: B.J. Penn is still mulling his future over.

“I’m trying to find myself a little bit -- not as a fighter trying to come back to the sport but just as a person.”

Penn says he’s still in the gym on a regular basis, but he's there strictly for his enjoyment of the sport. He’s not forcing himself to do the drills he doesn’t want to do, and he’s not putting his body through the rigors of sparring sessions.

When he doesn’t feel like going, he doesn’t. Although, he says, "usually I want to go."

Most of the time retirement isn’t on his mind, but it’s an impossible topic to avoid when every fan Penn interacts with obviously wants to know whether he’s done. When he does think about the sport and his career, he actually thinks more about the past than the future.

“I just honestly sit back and reflect and look at how it went,” Penn said. “I really do feel I could have done a lot better in a lot of different situations. I’m heartbroken with the way some of the fights went. The way my UFC 94 fight [against Georges St. Pierre] and my fights with Frankie Edgar went, I’m heartbroken about those fights.

“I feel I could have made better choices, but I don’t feel a major urge that I’ve got to go fix that right now.”

He was unaware of the recent comments made by UFC president Dana White on the promotion’s intent to hold a show in Hawaii as early as this year.
“
I'm trying to find myself a little bit -- not as a fighter trying to come back to the sport, but just as a person.

”
-- B.J. Penn

We talked about the chances the UFC would have selling out a 50,000-seat arena in Hawaii (pretty good, Penn and his brother J.D. thought, if B.J. is headlining), but we did so hypothetically. Even a main event in Hawaii isn’t a guarantee Penn would return.

“We would just have to sit down and talk about what made sense,” Penn said. “That’s amazing they are finally deciding to go to Hawaii, but I wouldn’t want to waste Dana’s time, getting his hopes up on something he wants to put together.”

I mentioned to Penn that if he does fight again, he should be certain that's what he wants. But does he worry at all about the time being lost while he’s deciding?

Penn is 33. He’ll turn 34 in December. Even if he ends up taking off only six to nine months and then returns, that’s still a significant chunk of time considering he’s not far away from an age where a reasonable decline in performance is expected.

He nodded and said he’s thought about that part. He'll have to live with it.

“That is something that either way, I’m going to have to accept,” Penn said. “I’ve thought about it, but even if you are in your physical prime, there’s still no sense going back if your head isn’t there.”

At the end of the day, I still believe what I did in the beginning -- that B.J. Penn will get in the Octagon again eventually. That’s nothing more than a guess, and right now, my guess on the topic is as good as Penn’s, which is as good as yours.

“I want to tell [my fans] that their guess is as good as mine,” Penn said. “I don’t know.”

ESPN

Should Zuffa send BJ Penn to Strikeforce?

(Interesting article by Mike Chiappetta but I doubt BJ would agree to fight in Strikeforce, even against El Nino).

If Dana White won't bring Gilbert Melendez to the UFC, he should bring the UFC to Melendez. Or at least, someone for him to fight. After beating Jorge Masvidal at last night's Strikeforce event in San Diego, what more is there for him to do? Who else is there for him to beat? What matchup are fans clamoring to see? The answers are nothing, no one and none.

Melendez is a top five fighter with nothing left to prove in the division as it stands right now. He's beaten Masvidal, Shinya Aoki and Josh Thomson, three of the best lightweights outside of the UFC, but there's no signed fighter in the division who has truly earned the right to face one of the best. Sure there are fighters like KJ Noons and Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante with some name value, but both of those guys have won exactly one fight in a row.

Solution: Bring someone over from the UFC to fight him. It doesn't have to be the champion. Bring one of the many quality guys over to challenge him. I have just the guy. He's a big name, he can bring attention to the promotion, and he offers the instant credibility that only a former UFC champion can provide. Bring over BJ Penn to fight Melendez.

Right now, Penn is on a break from fighting. He's home in Hilo, Hawaii spending time with his family after his hard-fought loss to Nick Diaz in October. But Penn does plan to fight again, and he even said that he'd be willing to rematch Diaz.

That's not going to happen, as Diaz has moved on to preparing for a big interim UFC welterweight title fight with Carlos Condit. So we need to find something that excites Penn, something that motivates him. Regardless of the skeptics who still refuse to believe that Melendez is for real, Penn knows the truth, that Melendez is for real and has a set of skills that would provide a challenge. Because of that, a bout with Melendez might interest him. As an added bonus, Melendez comes from the same Team Cesar Gracie as Diaz, making the marketing of the fight simple. BJ Penn comes looking for revenge against Diaz's teammate.

Penn loves fighting for belts, and as long as Frankie Edgar is the lightweight champ, Penn is stuck. He isn't going to get another shot against Edgar after losing to him twice. The same holds true for his chances of getting a welterweight title fight. He's already lost to Georges St-Pierre twice and Diaz once, so his chances of earning his way back for another title bout anytime soon are slim. So where does that leave him? He's in a legend-at-large role, looking for interesting matchups wherever they might appear. And is there really anything in the UFC that is so much more interesting than Penn-Melendez?

Let's face it, Penn would be one of the biggest stars ever to fight in the Strikeforce hexagon, with only Dan Henderson and Fedor Emelianenko able to rival his popularity. He's a former two-division champ in the UFC, every MMA fan knows him, and his presence would certainly bring attention to the promotion. Just as importantly, it would illustrate that Zuffa is serious about Strikeforce.

Just last week, White promised that Strikeforce wouldn't be a B-league, or a feeder system for the UFC. They would go after top talent, he said. They would find a way to make Strikeforce's best fighters happy, he said. That would mean leaving Melendez where he is, and bringing talent to him. This match would prove that White meant what he said.

The biggest hurdle in this plan would be making it worth Penn's while. Because Strikeforce is on Showtime and not pay-per-view, the pay scale is different, and White would have to dig into his his pocket to make him whole.

That investment would be worth it for Zuffa, to show that they are truly committed to Strikeforce as its own promotion. It's one thing for White to say it on a conference call, it's another entirely for him to send over a UFC legend. That's a statement. That's a promise kept.

BJ Penn would be just the fighter to satisfy White's promise, fan interest and Melendez's ambitions. Melendez doesn't just need a legitimate challenge, he deserves one.

BJ Penn Back in Hawaii Living Life Without MMA

“I’ve got a daughter, another daughter on the way, I don’t want to go home looking like this. I’m done.”

Those were the words of former two-division UFC champion BJ Penn following his loss to Nick Diaz in the main event of UFC 137 in October.

He softened his stance, somewhat, a few days later, telling HDNet’s Inside MMA, “I kinda think this is something that I should have did after the first Frankie Edgar fight… step away from the sport, take some time off.”

Now, a month later, Penn has started a weekly blog with MMAWeekly.com content partner Bleacher Report to give readers some insight into the real life of a mixed martial artist. He hasn’t tipped his hand any further at whether or not he intends to retract his statement about being “done” with fighting.

Penn has taken some time since the Diaz fight to be with family and friends, but has done little by way of athletic endeavors.

“I haven’t been doing much as far as athletics go,” he wrote. “This is partly because I think I sprained my finger or something, so because of that I have just been kind of laying low and enjoying life.”

Whether he has mentally or not, Penn’s body appears to be going through withdrawals. The Hawaiian says his “body started to get achy” from the inactivity, so he started running again.

“I still haven’t gotten into the gym and done any type of martial arts training yet, but the runs are definitely fun and, like I said, they make my body feel better.”

Is this the precursor to Penn eventually deciding that he needs MMA in his life? Could be, but it’s still too soon to tell. Yes, it has been a month, but by the same token, it’s only been a month. Whether or not to fight again is a life decision for Penn and one month is a drop in the bucket of deciding.

For now, he’s reconnecting with his family after all the time spent training and traveling for fights. He’s spending time working on his charitable foundation, the “Penn Hawaii Youth Foundation,” which helps at-risk youth through martial arts. He’s also making a guest appearance on the hit TV series Hawaii Five-O and challenging the owner of his longtime sponsor, RVCA, to a surfing contest.

In short, BJ Penn is enjoying life, whether or not that life’s future includes a return to the Octagon.

MMAWEEKLY

BJ Penn on Diaz v. GSP, Retirement- INSIDE MMA Exclusive

Never say never, but don’t expect to see former two-division UFC champion B.J. Penn back in the Octagon any time soon.

Losing in three of his last five fights and drawing in another, Penn isn’t feeling the spark that once twinkled in his eye. After his recent loss to Nick Diaz at UFC 137, the popular Hawaiian said he didn’t want to do this anymore.

“I’ve got a daughter, another daughter on the way, I don’t want to go home looking like this. I’m done.”

Diaz left Penn bloodied and bruised, in a state no other fighter had ever managed.

A week later and Penn may have softened his stance, leaving the door cracked open, but he still doesn’t sound like he’s in a rush to get back in the cage.

“I kinda think this is something that I should have did after the first Frankie Edgar fight. Bunch of my coaches pleaded with me to step away from the sport, take some time off,” Penn told HDNet’s Inside MMA at the recent Pro Elite event in Moline, Ill., where he was supporting his brother, Reagan, for his fight.

“I don’t really like the results I’ve been getting. Take some time off. Take some time away from the sport. If I ever feel it again, I’ll come back,” Penn replied when HDNet’s Michael Schiavello asked if his retirement talk had been a heat of the moment decision.

Evidently, it had not.

“I don’t want to be sitting in the locker room saying, I can’t believe I’m still doing this.”

MMAWEEKLY

BJ Penn and Miguel Torres impressed with Frank Edgar’s win over Sean Sherk at UFC 98 (Video)

mmamaia

AINA COMMENTS ON CONTROVERSIAL STOPPAGE

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MMAWeekly.com caught up with Mike Aina on Thursday afternoon to get his thoughts on the controversial stoppage of his fight with Billy Evangelista at Strikeforce Challenger Series last Friday. Aina spoke from Hawaii, where he’s back at his job on the summit of Mauna Kea as a welder/fabricator for the W.M. Keck Observatory.

Aina says he went to the emergency room following the bout and was released at 2 a.m. the next day, after which he and his wife drove to San Francisco to fly back to Hawaii.

MMAWeekly: Can you explain your side of the story in terms of what happened with the fight and its aftermath?

Aina: I really don’t remember much of what happened. I kind of blacked out for a little bit. When I got up—I remember I was lying on the mat—I had a shooting pain going up into my ear through my jaw. It was really painful. I was lost in the moment, so I’m not really sure what went down. I didn’t even see the video on it yet. I just feel bad for him and for me. It’s not the way we wanted it to end. It’s just disappointing.

MMAWeekly: Has a doctor checked your jaw since the fight and if so what’s the prognosis?

Aina: I just went to the ER after the fight. The doctor said (my jaw) probably popped out. I did an MRI, so nothing’s cracked, nothing’s fractured, which is good news. But it’s just dealing with pain right now, taking painkillers and trying to get through. I should be okay though.

MMAWeekly: The picture of the fight’s end shows the knee going under your armpit. Do you remember anything about the fight’s ending?

Aina: I was getting up. I knew I was going to have to take some shots in order to get back to my feet, which I didn’t mind. And as soon as I get my hips out, then he backed off, and I was like, the smart thing to do right now is to leave my knee on the mat and my hand on the mat and wait till he punches again. As soon he punches, eat that shot, get back on the feet, and then we can get the game back to stand-up. I remember he was clinching my head and started to load up on the knee and obviously, in the pictures, I tried to duck my head. But I really got rocked; I really don’t remember much of what happened after that. The next thing I remember was I was lying on the mat, that weird shooting pain going up into my ear.

MMAWeekly: Have you talked to Strikeforce about the incident?

Aina: No one’s actually contacted me. It would be nice, but I’m not sure they have any issue or concern with how I’m doing. Obviously, we both want a rematch. It was a good fight going into that second round. I’d like to do it again. I’m sure he feels unfulfilled as well, and so do I, but I’m not sure where we stand right now.

MMAWeekly: Do you feel referee Herb Dean made the right call?

Aina: I’ve gotta watch the video. I haven’t even gotten a chance to watch the video. But there’s nothing we can do about it now. I’m just really, really disappointed about the whole thing.

MMAWeekly: When do you anticipate going back to the gym?

Aina: I want to go back soon. I can’t really do too much right now, but obviously I want to stay in shape, get some cardio in, and once I feel better, I’m hoping they’ll set up a rematch.

MMAweekly

2 Hawaiians in UFC 101

Event: UFC 101
Date: Saturday, August 8, 2009, at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV)
Location: Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Main event:

UFC Lightweight Champion BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian

Main card (Televised):

205 lbs.: Forrest Griffin vs. Anderson Silva
185 lbs.: Amir Sadollah vs. Johny Hendricks
185 lbs.: Kendall Grove vs. Ricardo Almeida
155 lbs.: Kurt Pellegrino vs. Josh Neer

Under card (May not be broadcast):

170 lbs.: John Howard vs. Tamdan McCrory
170 lbs.: Matt Riddle vs. Dan Cramer
155 lbs.: George Sotiropoulos vs. Rob Emerson
170 lbs.: Danillo Villefort vs. Jesse Lennox
185 lbs.: Alessio Sakara vs. Thales Leites
155 lbs.: Shane Nelson vs. Aaron Riley
*Fight not yet official by UFC.com.

mmamania

BJ Penn video details new training regimen with Marv Marinovich

BJpenn.com