Maybe true but I've seen enough "sure things" to know there's no sure thing. Let's keep it real, he's not fighting a young killer on the way up either.
As for his prodigy moniker. I rate BJ in the p4p best of ratings, same for sakaraba, Edgar or any other who used their style across multiple weight categories. Everyone craps on about a fighter being p4p best because they think his style would do well against different sizes. With these guys you know because they have, look through BJ's fights and as importantly his and his opponents fight skill time period and his skillset was up there.
Not any more maybe but time has no friends and one day today's favourite will be tomorrows fool. Welcome to the fight game
Granted. His moniker was plenty deserved, no question there. He's the poster boy of the fast road to success, but he's also the poster boy for incredible shortcomings in the limelight. It's undeniable.
BJ's rapid ascent to BJJ then MMA fame inflated his head so much, he became delusional. I place the threshold to insanity after his Matt Hughes win. We can all agree on that: he was ready to fight the whole MMA roster, all weight included on the same night after that. While that is commendable, it is also highly delusional...
I can admire brashness but I despise shortcuts. BJ was ready to fight Fedor on a "Just Scrap" mentality with a "Just Crap" game plan. He was like that: "no need to train hard, I'm the Prodigay BJ "baby Jay" Penn baby! IV's are for wimps, weight cutters suck, none can do what I do."
Ends up suspended for IVs, cutting to 145 and utterly fail, miserably. Face the facts: BJ might have been done for longer than 7 years: I think he was done after that historic Win!
J/k of course, but you get my point: BJ's delusion of grandeur sealed his fate. The rest is becoming a re-writing of UFC history and the conclusion to his legacy. Hall of Famers don't come back to get destroyed again and again. They're supposed to have the dignity to step back and enjoy the walk into the sunrise.
Let's hope he can keep some dignity after Siver tramples him...