While I do believe B.J. Penn COULD HAVE BEEN the LW GOAT, he blew any chance of being considered the long time GOAT (well at least by me) by fighting so often at WW and not stacking wins at LW.
Everyone talks about how he cleaned out the division, and that's just not true. After going on a 5 fight win streak the supposed strongest division in the UFC is "cleaned out?"
The fact of the matter is Benson Henderson and Donald Cerrone had their 5 RD war the same year B.J. apparently finished cleaning out the division after he beat Diego Sanchez. However, at the time WEC LW's weren't seen as on the level of UFC fighters. Therefore, there weren't really any calls to see the likes of Benson or Donald vs. B.J.
Also, why did B.J. lose to the likes of "little Frankie Edgar," if the division was supposedly "cleaned out" after the Diego Sanchez win.
As of right now guys like Cerrone, Henderson, Melendez, Pettis, and Edgar have just as many or more meaningful fights at LW and way more fights in general at LW.
Hell Clay Guida, has more fights at LW and I'd argue just as many good wins.
B.J. Peen notable LW wins: Diego Sanchez, Gomi, Sean Sherk, Kenny Florian, Joe Stevenson.
Clay Guida notable wins at LW: Gomi, Pettis, Dos Anjos, Diaz, Josh Thomson. And to add to that Guida has considerably more fights at LW, and 29 of his 31 wins come at LW.
Now does all this mean I think Guida is the better overall fighter and would beat Penn in his prime if they fought, no.
The intention of this comparison is simply to show that Penn does not have the wins to be called the LW GOAT if he's not able to separate himself from someone like Clay Guida.
What B.J. supporters will probably bring up next is the three consecutive title defenses. And while that is the most in LW history it still doesn't change the fact that he doesn't have the wins to compete (record to record) in a division he supposedly dominated.
Everyone talks about how he cleaned out the division, and that's just not true. After going on a 5 fight win streak the supposed strongest division in the UFC is "cleaned out?"
The fact of the matter is Benson Henderson and Donald Cerrone had their 5 RD war the same year B.J. apparently finished cleaning out the division after he beat Diego Sanchez. However, at the time WEC LW's weren't seen as on the level of UFC fighters. Therefore, there weren't really any calls to see the likes of Benson or Donald vs. B.J.
Also, why did B.J. lose to the likes of "little Frankie Edgar," if the division was supposedly "cleaned out" after the Diego Sanchez win.
As of right now guys like Cerrone, Henderson, Melendez, Pettis, and Edgar have just as many or more meaningful fights at LW and way more fights in general at LW.
Hell Clay Guida, has more fights at LW and I'd argue just as many good wins.
B.J. Peen notable LW wins: Diego Sanchez, Gomi, Sean Sherk, Kenny Florian, Joe Stevenson.
Clay Guida notable wins at LW: Gomi, Pettis, Dos Anjos, Diaz, Josh Thomson. And to add to that Guida has considerably more fights at LW, and 29 of his 31 wins come at LW.
Now does all this mean I think Guida is the better overall fighter and would beat Penn in his prime if they fought, no.
The intention of this comparison is simply to show that Penn does not have the wins to be called the LW GOAT if he's not able to separate himself from someone like Clay Guida.
What B.J. supporters will probably bring up next is the three consecutive title defenses. And while that is the most in LW history it still doesn't change the fact that he doesn't have the wins to compete (record to record) in a division he supposedly dominated.
