I just miss guys like BJ Penn

[Kvolcom]

Regardless of what you thought of BJ he fought the best in his prime. When he left the UFC he left to fight the #1 guy Bang who beat Jens. Jens left w the belt. Then he fought Lyoto at Heavyweight.

Then came back to the UFC moved up to WW and fought prime GSP. No one does this these days. They move up to fight guys like Bisping, like Eddie, like Jan.


They aren't moving up to fight Jon Jones or Usman.

 

[Mamou]

 

[Pitier of Fools]

I don't miss BJ Penn's nuthugging fans. They were the Conor fans before there was Conor.

 

[Kvolcom]

I don't miss BJ Penn's nuthugging fans. They were the Conor fans before there was Conor.

I'll agree! i was a GSP fan so I know this but I can't deny BJ fought the best. If he was in his prime today, he would move up and fight usman. No problem. He'd lose but he'd take that chance that risk and he'd prolly have his moments.

 

[Epicman1324]

I don't miss BJ Penn's nuthugging fans. They were the Conor fans before there was Conor.

At least BJ didn't feast on smaller opponents and lost with some semblance of dignity (okay, besides GSP 2. And every loss after 2012).

 

[Deleted member 585708]

Those days were great, but you can't replicate them now.

Fighters like BJ, Genki Sudo and Minowaman did a ton of work establishing those lighter weight classes by competing WAY out of their respective divisions.

Bizarrely, the closest fighter to doing what BJ was doing is Conor McGregor, no?

 

[EYEKICKFACES]

I blame the fans. Anytime somebody wants to fight someone outside of their weight class they are called a duck.

 

[jeff7b9]

Yeah, but you have to recognize the era. He was able to do that because there was a lack of well rounded fighters.

He is a beast and a badass in his prime though, and has some exceptional wins on his resume.

Going up a weight class to take on 35-3 5x defending champ Matt Hughes and putting him away inside of a round is crazy shit. Matt was top 3 P4P and had been absolutely dominant in his UFC run up til that point, and even won his next 6 fights after that.

It is too bad that Baby J didn't have the discipline to really live up to his talent and potential.

 

[Substance Abuse]

I don't miss BJ Penn's nuthugging fans. They were the Conor fans before there was Conor.

Hardly, lol.

Not that widespread rabid.

 

[Chomsky Honk]

Oh shit a BJ thread?

 

[Kvolcom]

Those days were great, but you can't replicate them now.

Fighters like BJ, Genki Sudo and Minowaman did a ton of work establishing those lighter weight classes by competing WAY out of their respective divisions.

Bizarrely, the closest fighter to doing what BJ was doing is Conor McGregor, no?

probably true w Khabib. Guys like Diaz are journymen, Porier is a 145er. Eddie was an average level champ.


But he had nothing to lose against Khabib. BJ was champion at lightweight, moved up and fought prime GSP which would be like moving up to fight Usman or Jon jones today. Or Anderson Silva in the past.

 

[koquerelle]

"He fought the best."
lol
No, he didn't.

 

[SuperNerd]

I believe Penn already debuted at WW, and was WW champion before fighting Bang.

Bang moved up in weight to fight Penn.

When Penn returned to UFC, he returned the the weight class he was at, and champion of.

 

[Kvolcom]

I only say this bc the best fights today?

Jon Jones vs Ngannou
Izzy vs Usman
Usman vs khabib
Khabib vs Volk.

These are great fights where if the guy who moved up won? Goat win. go become great

 

[Kvolcom]

I believe Penn already debuted at WW, and was WW champion before fighting Bang.

Bang moved up in weight to fight Penn.

When Penn returned to UFC, he returned the the weight class he was at, and champion of.

This is true but Bang beat Jans at 155 so he was the lineal Champ. It was like the lineal champ at 155 moving up to fight the lineal champ at 170 but the champ at 170 just happened to be a 155er

 

[Corrado Soprano]

I’ll never forget when I met him at the Las Vegas airport.

 

[TheRealMikeson]

"He fought the best."
lol
No, he didn't.

GSP, Hughes, or Gomi weren’t some of the best at the time? Lay off the crack pipe.

 

[Deleted member 585708]

probably true w Khabib. Guys like Diaz are journymen, Porier is a 145er. Eddie was an average level champ.


But he had nothing to lose against Khabib. BJ was champion at lightweight, moved up and fought prime GSP which would be like moving up to fight Usman or Jon jones today. Or Anderson Silva in the past.

I count Diaz because it was two weight classes up, all of a sudden, for no reason other than it was a late replacement - there aren't many fighters doing that for sure.

That's the sort of crazy decision BJ would have made, only BJ had no choice if he wasn't content earning lower paychecks fighting no name lightweights.

I think Conor fighting at welterweight was really stupid, personally, but it was definitely ballsy even though he'd never be allowed to jump two weight classes to challenge anyone meaningful.

 

[SuperNerd]

This is true but Bang beat Jans at 155 so he was the lineal Champ. It was like the lineal champ at 155 moving up to fight the lineal champ at 170 but the champ at 170 just happened to be a 155er

Yeah, I'm just addressing the "Then came back to the UFC moved up to WW" comment in your post.

In fact, BJ Penn lost weight when he returned to UFC.

 

[robbie]

Those days were great, but you can't replicate them now.

Fighters like BJ, Genki Sudo and Minowaman did a ton of work establishing those lighter weight classes by competing WAY out of their respective divisions.

Bizarrely, the closest fighter to doing what BJ was doing is Conor McGregor, no?

False, McGregor is absolutely not replicating BJ Penn's ability to fight successfully above his weight class. In addition, Penn actually defended his belts and won title defenses.