B.J. Penn: The most dangerous fighter in the world at 155 or 170 pounds?
While I’m not a fan of the way he’s always carried himself, I think it’s safe to label myself a fan of B.J. Penn as a fighter. I consider him to be the second best pure fighter in MMA (right behind Fedor) and I have him ranked a lot higher in my lightweight rankings than most people. But even I have to say that people are not showing Joe Stevenson enough respect heading into their match for the vacant UFC lightweight title on Jan. 19 at UFC 80 in New Castle, England.
Leading the B.J. Penn hype bandwagon is none other than UFC president Dana White. It’s always strange to reach White’s praise of Penn considering the history between Penn and the UFC, but Penn is a UFC fighter and it’s in White’s best interest to promote him.
There’s the following comment made by White in the UK Sun (which I believe was taken from the UFC Countdown show without any attribution whatsoever):
“At 155 lbs. BJ Penn is the most dangerous fighter in the world…there’s no doubt about it,” White is quoted as saying in the Sun. “He’s the scariest fighter in the world at 155 lbs. and 170lbs.”
Best pure fighter in the world at 155 lbs. or 170 lbs.? Perhaps. The most gifted fighter at those weights? Yes. But scariest? I think Georges St. Pierre fans might have something to say about that.
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Bad Monkey
Rich S.
windstorm
My top 2 pound for pound best……..BJ Penn and Georges St. Pierre
Add Anderson Silva and Urijah Faber to make it top 4. I dont think there is a LH or HW that is that dominant. The LH having a ridiculis number of talented fighters probably has something to do with that.
Anyhow, from 1 to 4, lb. for lb. best for what its worth…….
1.) Georges St. Pierre
2.) Urijah Faber
3.) Anderson Silva
4.) BJ Penn
My 2 cents
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As I fan of both I have no problem admitting that when BJ and GSP fought, GSP was getting raped until he decided that he couldn’t beat BJ any other way but staling. It’s like Bj said “I went to the bar he went to the hospital.”
I am anticipating the day those two meet again, badly. I honestly think I’d rather see that than Randy-Fedor. Crazy.
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Sam Caplan…….
Since I consider you a very reliable source for mma news/info…..Can you comment at all about the rumors flying about a possible fight between one highly seeked particular Japanese free agent and an undefeated up and comer in the UFC’s LW division.
I have read some many times that it comes from a RELIABLE source!!! But this is how these damn things run rampant???? Any truth to this Sam????
Thank you
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No offense, Sam, but this article was nothing new. 5 gajillion people have written 5 gajillion times that if BJ doesn’t work hard so-and-so will beat him.
I have the disagree though. BJ’s B game grappling can probably beat Stevenson’s A game grappling.
Honestly though only idiots count almost any fighter out now. I don’t see Stevenson winning but who knows.
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Sherk will own Penn.
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Fujin, what I stated in its entirety has not been written 5 gajillion times. Did you bother to read the whole article, or did you just gloss over it? Talk about a gross exaggeration. But that seems to be the trend these days, to respond to someone’s article and say “this has been written a million times.” Good lord.
Big Fish, to my knowledge, there is nothing to the rumor that Frankie Edgar will be fighting Takanori Gomi. It’s a rumor that I believe to be pure fabrication at this point. I can make some further inquiries though.
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as far as i’m concerned the jury is still out on bj. compared with st. pierre for example, st. pierre has fucked up nearly everyone in his weight class, all of which are top 5 or top 10. bj has handed some big upsets to fighters and occasionally made them look bad, however he’s lost those fights. you can’t be the best with those losses. he needs to get through joe daddy convincingly, then take sherk out and maybe another big name before he even considers rematching georges at WW. and even then, i suspect he will not have improved at the rate at which georges seems to be advancing.
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Sam
While you are at it could you also look into why he has been so inactive. A PRIDE contract issue? Maybe a hidden injury?
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BJ Penn is the best 2 round fighter MMA has ever seen. Its just too bad MMA fights aren’t two rounds.
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As per GSP…..
He has fought EVERY top WW thta the division has had to offer in his young career. Just think about them.
Hughes(3) – Dominated him 2 twice
Koscheck – Kos had nothing to offer
Sherk – Crushed him.. Gave Sherk 1 of his 2 losses out of 33 fights
Trigg – Again dominated
Hieron – Again dominated
Jason Miller –
Parisyan -
BJ Penn – The only CLOSE fight that GSP has had
Serra – Other than mistake he made with
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I completely agree Handover Fist! Right on!
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As per GSP…..
I 2nd that emotion…. and think that were it not for some big fight jitters
he might have won the 1st hughes fight too.
Actually I’d love to see him add Sanchez to the above list…..
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GSP has some of the most advanced variety of skills ever seen. Though BJ is a freak of nature, his actual advancements beyond his natural gifts aren’t impressive… Seriously, a man of that caliber needs to understand the importance of being able to last more than 2 rounds! If he were to train on that alone, maybe then he will have what it takes to be the number 1 pound for pound fighter in my eyes
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