At 155 There's No Doubt

(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)

All hail, for the king has returned. After a minor hiatus vying for the welterweight championship, BJ Penn reestablished his claim as the world’s best lightweight.

The much-improved and highly capable challenger, Kenny Florian, was outclassed from start to finish. It wasn’t that KenFlo didn’t look good, BJ was simply better.

BJ appeared noticeably lean and cut; the best he has looked in years. And it showed in his performance. Florian continually tried to take the fight to the ground, but BJ’s takedown defense was impenetrable.

BJ’s striking was crisp and he landed significant combinations in each round. Once the fight finally hit the ground, BJ’s jiu-jitsu was first rate and he quickly finished the game to a very overwhelmed Florian.

Coming into his title defense, BJ had his back against the wall. He had suffered a decisive loss to rival GSP and was receiving heavy scrutiny from the media. But, he managed to fight his way back into the pound-for-pound consideration with a flawless performance against a top fighter.

Clearly, BJ’s home lies at 155 pounds. Since his return to the division, BJ has destroyed elite opponents in devastating fashion. BJ avenged his loss to Jens Pulver, brutalized Joe Stevenson and brutally TKO’d Sean Sherk. Now he holds a dominant win over Kenny Florian. The Prodigy’s performances don’t lie; he appears unbeatable at this weight class.

The division is full of few established fighters but rich with up and coming prospects. Diego Sanchez is an upper echelon fighter, who is highly skilled and partakes in fan-pleasing bouts. It is likely he will get the next title shot. After Sanchez, the list of intriguing contenders is grim.

Gray Maynard, Frankie Edgar and Tyson Griffin are all within a year of a title shots and becoming elite fighters. But, they aren’t big names and seemingly don’t pose a significant threat to BJ.

So, for the foreseeable future, contenders are on the rise and a showdown with Sanchez lies ahead. But if Penn can beat Sanchez, the UFC will need to manufacture a new challenge for him.

Realizing his full potential has always been BJ’s challenge. He has admitted lapses in commitment and a propensity for the night light. But, a focused and well conditioned “Prodigy” is a force.

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