BJ Penn Will Get His Way

Well, what do you know!  Dana White has thrown up his hands in exasperation and surrendered!

After a great deal of badgering, begging, and brow beating, the verdict is published in BJ's favor. Yes BJ, you may have Georges again AFTER his fight with John Fitch.

Ever since his fight with Sean Sherk was announced, and possibly even prior to that, Mr. Penn (the "pretend Emperor" of Hilo, Hawaii) has been absolutely obsessed with a rematch with the Canadian fighter. He feels he escaped with a dubious (to BJ and certainly NOT me) win by split decision in their first meeting.

To say BJ is out for blood would not at all be stretching the point. He has in fact developed the distasteful (to me, being a former RN) post fight ritual of licking his opponent's blood off his gloves to celebrate his win.

But perhaps the formerly chubby Hawaiian has turned from Mickey D's cheeseburgers to draining the blood directly from the bovines, and thereby developed strength of mythic (vampiric) proportions. This would explain how he beats fighters without the benefit of steroids.

Seeing BJ bloody my favorite "Gentleman" of the MMA would most likely turn me from MMA entirely. All nurses know about blood bourne pathogen precautions and how time consuming starting IV's and dealing with blood spills has become today.

While BJ is doubtlessly very proud of being the first fighter to put Georges in the hospital after a fight, I found his attitude very offensive and unsportsmanlike.  Consequently, I will never be a fan of BJ Penn.  The fact that his Hawaiian crowd worships him makes travel there very unlikely for me, even if I could afford it.

Since both GSP and Penn have improved markedly since last meeting, it is not a foregone conclusion that either one of them would be favored to win.  If BJ would lay off the "accidental eye gouges" I would say their chances were even.

BJ's freakish ability to contort himself into unbelievable positions is always a plus and a frustration to opponents trying to work him on the ground for a submission.

Georges has seemingly unlimited strength, agility, and the ability to resist being taken down.  He can and has taken BJ down, however. 

Since I can't recall their comparative reaches, I don't know who has the advantage there, and I am drawing a blank on their striking ability so I can't make any comparisons.

Fans of each fighter have been clogging blog sites requesting this fight and speculating endlessly on which dynamo will win.

As far as the Lightweight division, I suppose everything will remain on hold until the prima donna "Prodigy" decides what substance he is craving the most after he faces off with Georges.