| B.J. Penn | |
|---|---|
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| Statistics | |
| Nickname | The Prodigy |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 155.5 lb (70.5 kg/11.11 st) |
| Nationality |  American |
| Born | December 12 1978 |
| Town of birth |  Hilo, Hawaii |
| Team/Association | BJ Penn's MMA[1] |
| Fighting style | Jiu Jitsu |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Wins | 11 |
| By knockout | 4 |
| By submission | 4 |
| Losses | 4 |
| Draws | 1 |
Jay Dee "B.J." Penn (born December 12,1978 in Hilo, Hawaii) is an American professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. He holds notable wins over Matt Hughes, Takanori Gomi, Jens Pulver, Caol Uno, Duane Ludwig, Matt Serra, Rodrigo Gracie, and Renzo Gracie. He is the first American-born winner of the World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship (Mundial) in the black belt category (2000), former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight champion, and was a coach on the The Ultimate Fighter 5 reality show.
Contents |
Career
Martial arts background
At the age of seventeen, Penn began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu after being introduced to it by his neighbor, Tom Callos, and in 1997 began training under Ralph Gracie. After being awarded his black belt by Andre Pederneiras, leader of Nova Uniao, in 2000 he became the first non-Brazilian to win a gold medal in the black belt division of the Mundial World Championships held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[2]
Mixed martial arts career
His accomplishments caught the attention of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he began his mixed martial arts career less than a year later in 2001. He demonstrated strong striking skills, knocking out lightweights Din Thomas and Caol Uno before suffering a decision loss in a title fight against UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver. In 2003, after Pulver left the UFC and relinquished his title, a tournament to crown a new champion flopped when Penn fought Uno to a draw in the finals at UFC 41, a failure which caused the UFC to later suspend its lightweight division. Penn bounced back later in the year with an impressive victory over Takanori Gomi, Japan's current number-one ranked lightweight fighter, in Rumble on the Rock, an MMA organization promoted by his brother. The crowning achievement of Penn's career came in 2004 at UFC 46. Penn jumped up in weight classes to challenge the five-time defending UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes to fill a title contention slot in a division where Hughes had already defeated all the available opposition. Heavily favored to win, Hughes lost the fight four minutes into the first round by rear naked choke after giving up his back with only 23 seconds left until the end of the first round.
In K-1 and Hero's
Shortly after defeating Matt Hughes, the new champion signed to fight in the K-1 organization. The UFC promptly stripped him of the welterweight title, 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.[3][4] In his first K-1 fight, Penn fought again at welterweight (170 lb) and defeated Duane Ludwig at the 2004 K-1 MMA Romanex show in under five minutes by arm triangle choke. Following the Ludwig fight, Penn moved up in weight class to face the undefeated Rodrigo Gracie at middleweight (185 lb). Penn won by decision, extending his winning streak to four fights. In 2005, at the K-1 Hero's 1 event in Japan, Penn faced light heavyweight Ryoto Machida, losing by decision. Later that year at K-1 World Grand Prix Hawaii, Penn returned to middleweight to face Renzo Gracie and won by unanimous decision
Return to the UFC
In early 2006 at UFC 56, UFC president Dana White announced that Penn and the UFC had agreed to a settlement and Penn was to return as a top welterweight contender. Penn re-debuted on March 4 at UFC 58, losing against Georges St. Pierre by split decision in a fight that determined the number one welterweight contender. In July, Penn briefly spoke with KUAM about rededicating himself to earning the lightweight championship, along with the welterweight and middleweight titles. After St. Pierre, who became the UFC's top contender for the welterweight title since his win over Penn, injured himself during training, the UFC announced that Penn would replace St. Pierre in an upcoming title fight, setting up a highly anticipated rematch with Hughes for UFC 63 on September 23, 2006.[5] In the bout, Penn controlled the first two rounds, but sustained a rib injury during the scramble to take Hughes' back in round two. He was visibly different in the third round, appearing exhausted and missing punches he was landing earlier. Hughes was able to take Penn to the mat, and in side control position rain punches on Penn's head until referee "Big" John McCarthy 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 website, 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. Penn was a coach for The Ultimate Fighter 5, which aired on April 5, 2007. Penn lead a team of eight lightweight fighters, and fought a rematch 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. On July 7, 2007, during the post-fight press conference of UFC 73, UFC president Dana White announced that Penn would stay at lightweight to fight current UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk. However, Sean Sherk subsequently was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission, and the status of the possible title fight was left in limbo as he pursued his appeals. With Sean Sherk's title status still in limbo after months of hearings, the UFC scheduled BJ Penn to fight Joe Stevenson at UFC 80 for the interim lightweight title. The subsequent final decision by the California State Athletic Commission, which did not overturn Sherk's suspension, led to the title being stripped from Sherk and the Penn-Stevenson fight being upgraded to a full title bout, with the winner defending against Sean Sherk for his next fight.
Personal information
Penn's mother is a 3rd generation Korean-American.[1] His nickname "B.J." is short for "Baby Jay", as he is the youngest of his male siblings named "Jay Dee Penn".[6] He has 4 brothers: Jay, Jaydee, Reagan and Kalani.[7] [8]
Legal troubles
B.J. Penn was arrested on May 8, 2005 outside a nightclub in Waikiki, Honolulu after he allegedly hit a police officer. Penn was among a crowd outside the club when he grabbed the officer and struck his face.[9] According to his lawyer, Penn was trying to retrieve his brother from the fracas and shoved someone to his side to get into the crowd, who turned out to be the policeman.[10] Penn plead no contest to the charges in August 2007, and received one year of probation on December 11,2007.[11]
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 15 matches | 11 wins | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 4 | 1 |
| By submission | 4 | 0 |
| By decision | 3 | 3 |
| Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Weight | Notes |
| Win | 11-4-1 | Jens Pulver | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale | 6/23/2007 | 2 | 3:12 | 155 lb | |
| Loss | 10-4-1 | Matt Hughes | TKO (Strikes) | UFC 63: Hughes vs. Penn | 9/23/2006 | 3 | 3:53 | 170 lb | For UFC Welterweight Championship |
| Loss | 10-3-1 | Georges St. Pierre | Decision (Split) | UFC 58: USA vs. Canada | 3/4/2006 | 3 | 5:00 | 170 lb | |
| Win | 10-2-1 | Renzo Gracie | Decision (Unanimous) | K-1 World Grand Prix Hawaii | 7/29/2005 | 3 | 5:00 | 170 lb | |
| Loss | 9-2-1 | Lyoto Machida | Decision (Unanimous) | K-1 HERO'S 1 | 3/26/2005 | 3 | 5:00 | 205 lb | |
| Win | 9-1-1 | Rodrigo Gracie | Decision (Unanimous) | Rumble on the Rock 6 | 11/20/2004 | 3 | 5:00 | 185 lb | |
| Win | 8-1-1 | Duane Ludwig | Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) | K-1 MMA-ROMANEX | 5/22/2004 | 1 | 1:45 | 170 lb | |
| Win | 7-1-1 | Matt Hughes | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | UFC 46: Supernatural | 1/31/2004 | 1 | 4:39 | 170 lb | Won UFC Welterweight Championship |
| Win | 6-1-1 | Takanori Gomi | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | Rumble on the Rock 4 | 10/10/2003 | 3 | 2:35 | 155 lb | |
| Draw | 5-1-1 | Caol Uno | Draw | UFC 41: Onslaught | 2/28/2003 | 5 | 5:00 | 155 lb | For UFC Lightweight Championship |
| Win | 5-1 | Matt Serra | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 39: The Warriors Return | 9/27/2002 | 3 | 5:00 | 155 lb | |
| Win | 4-1 | Paul Creighton | TKO (Strikes) | UFC 37: High Impact | 5/10/2002 | 2 | 3:23 | 155 lb | |
| Loss | 3-1 | Jens Pulver | Decision (Majority) | UFC 35: Throwdown | 1/11/2002 | 5 | 5:00 | 155 lb | For UFC Lightweight Championship |
| Win | 3-0 | Caol Uno | KO (Punches) | UFC 34: High Voltage | 11/2/2001 | 1 | 0:11 | 155 lb | |
| Win | 2-0 | Din Thomas | TKO (Strikes) | UFC 32: Showdown in the Meadowlands | 6/29/2001 | 1 | 2:42 | 155 lb | |
| Win | 1-0 | Joey Gilbert | TKO (Strikes) | UFC 31: Locked and Loaded | 5/4/2001 | 1 | 4:57 | 155 lb |
Jiu-Jitsu career highlights
- May, 1997 Enters first tournament in Bakersfield, CA and wins both his weight and the open weight class.
- June, 1997 Enters the Joe Moreira tournament as a blue belt winning his weight class.
- June, 1997 Wins submission grappling tournament
- 1997 Enters Brasileiro and places 4th in his weight class, blue belt category
- 1997 Continues to enter tournaments upon return from Brazil placing first consistently
- 1997 Receives blue belt from Ralph Gracie
- 1998 Silver medal at Brazilian Mundials competition in his weight division; receives purple belt upon return
- 1999 Bronze medal at Brazilian Mundials in heavier weight class as a newly promoted Nova Uniao brown belt.
- 1999 Gold medal, Copa Pacific Tournament in Los Angeles, CA
- 1999 Receives Black belt from Andre Pederneiras just 3 weeks before the 2000 Mundials
- 1999 Joins Nova Uniao Competition Team (reserved for the four top team competitors)
- 2000 First non-Brazilian to win gold medal in black belt division of the Mundial World Championships held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
References
- ^ Fight Finder: B.J. Penn. Sherdog (2007). Retrieved on 2007-08-15.
- ^ Biography. BJPenn.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-10.
- ^ Sloan, Mike. "BJ Penn Sues Zuffa Over Stripping of Welterweight Title", Sherdog.com, 2004-07-23. Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
- ^ "Court Sides with Zuffa Against BJ Penn", Sherdog.com, 2004-10-01. Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
- ^ Iole, Kevin. "Penn will not be content with welterweight title", Las Vegas Journal-Review, 2006-09-22. Retrieved on 2006-09-22.
- ^ Wickert, Mark (2004). BJ PENN: The Day the Hawaiians Took Over. Knucklepit.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-23.
- ^ Pearl Harbor Day, BJ Penn, voted one of the best pound-for-pound fighters ever by Elite Fighter magazine, gave his own time and expertise to some Green Berets at Fort Lewis, Wa. simply because he wanted to contribute to the war on terror. At his own expense and with his younger brother Reagan, also a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, in tow,
- ^ Business is something that Penn, who is single, understands. His parents, JD Penn and wife Lorraine Shin, are prominent property owners in the Pu'ueo neighborhood of Hilo. They instilled a strong work ethic in BJ, the youngest - short for "Baby Jay" - and his brothers Jay, Jaydee, Reagan and Kalani.
- ^ Boylan, Peter. "Martial artist faces assault charge", Honolulu Advertiser, 2005-05-09. Retrieved on 2006-08-23.
- ^ "Lawyer Defends Professional Fighter's Actions", KHNL News 8. Retrieved on 2007-04-15.
- ^ "B.J. Penn gets probation in Waikiki assault of policeman", Honolulu Advertiser, 2007-12-11. Retrieved on 2007-12-11.
External links
| Previous champion Matt Hughes (fighter) |
4th UFC Welterweight Champion January 31, 2004 - February 2004 |
Next champion Matt Hughes (fighter) |
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| Alan Berube · Nathan Diaz · Rob Emerson · Manvel Gamburyan · Brian Geraghty · Corey Hill · Joe Lauzon · Gray Maynard · Brandon Melendez · Cole Miller · Gabe Ruediger · Marlon Sims · Noah Thomas · Andy Wang · Wayne Weems · Matt Wiman |
| Coaches: B.J. Penn · Jens Pulver |
