BJ Penn: Talent is not the Question, Work Ethic is

BJ Penn is expected to face Frankie Edgar at UFC 118 in a rematch of their UFC 112 fight

If someone needed to describe BJ “The Prodigy” Penn with one word, they need not search the dictionary for an appropriate term, the answer is as simple as the word: talented.

BJ started his professional career in the sport’s biggest promotion, the UFC, and well people may question why a fighter with no official bouts would get such a privilege, Penn answered those questions with three straight first round finishes against top competition. It was obvious to see BJ was blessed with pure ability that few people have.

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It’s not his skills that have held him back throughout his career but instead his work ethic has come into question throughout his fight life. The majority of his 6 losses have come from BJ being out worked instead of out classed. A first round BJ Penn is about as unbeatable as any fighter in the world, but the later rounds of his early career have been ‘The Prodigy’s’ downfall.

However, after a loss against Matt Hughes in which BJ gassed in the third, his training woes seemed to be behind him. He went on to defeat Joe Stevenson for the UFC lightweight title and then defended it against form UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk. A fight in which Penn looked as dangerous and dynamic in the third as he did the prior two rounds. Soon afterward however, the lightweight champ learned there’s a fitness level he wasn’t quite up to yet when George St. Pierre dominated him in a welterweight bout with superior wrestling and cardio.

When BJ Penn returned to lightweight to defend his title, it seemed he had learned his lesson when he went on to defend his title against Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez, winning both fights with late stoppages. It seemed apparent when Penn is in shape, no lightweight in the world could hang with him. Talks of him moving up to welterweight and working his way up to a title bid started to grow. But one lightweight soon ended such talk of BJ moving up a class.

Coming into his fight with BJ Penn at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi on April 4 of this year, Frankie Edgar was a huge underdog. He was speculated to be both out matched and out sized by most if not all experts. Frankie however, used an excellent strategy to defeat the once thought unbeatable lightweight champion. BJ seemed to have trouble with Frankie’s movement and timing. He didn’t show the aggression and killer instinct he did in fights past. Although it was a close decision there was no surprise on BJ Penn’s face when Edgar was announced the new champion.While BJ did not seem to be the same BJ in his most recent fight, it’s no secret that the movement and elusiveness of Edgar gave him fits and never allowed him to get rhythm. Instead of piecing together combinations and working his jab, Penn just went for big shots that he had trouble finding a home for.

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Luckily for BJ, the UFC has pushed for an immediate rematch of Penn vs. Edgar at UFC 118 in Boston on August 28. This time ‘The Prodigy’ will have to find an answer for the intelligent game plan of Edgar. If BJ can rebound from his loss and reclaim his title in devastating fashion, his recent loss will most likely be viewed as a small hiccup and his hopes of a return to welterweight could be reignited. 

By Nick Russell
ProFighting-fans.com Senior MMA Staff Writer