UFC Champion BJ Penn Aiming For a Birthday Win in Memphis

By ANDRE JOHNSON

Bleacher Report Contributor

The bad news for B. J. Penn is that this year did not start off the way he would have liked. The good news, however, is that he has what is seemingly selective amnesia.

“It was this year?” Penn, in a recent telephone conversation from California, said of his first of three fights this year. “I thought it was a while back. I figured we weren’t still in the same year. I went in that fight and got my butt kicked.”

One of the world’s renowned mixed martial arts fighters and a fixture on the Ultimate Fighting Championship circuit who will defend his lightweight title in Memphis December 12 against Diego Sanchez at FedExForum’s UFC 107, Penn (14-5-1) entered his much-anticipated rematch against French Canadian George St-Pierre in January in Las Vegas, where he was beaten senseless before a corner stoppage that was ruled a technical knockout sent him to his first defeat in nearly three years.

It was a setback, in fact, that resulted in Penn, 30, experiencing weeks of depression and soul-searching. It was a brutal, lopsided whipping that left the native of Kailua, Hawaii bloody, banged up and bruised over almost his entire 5-foot-9, 155-pound frame. It was a devastating shellacking, one that prompted Penn to board the first plane out of Vegas and head west, back to the soothing, relaxing islands of Hawaii.

“I was kind of depressed,” Penn said of the loss to St-Pierre for the UFC welterweight championship bout known St-Pierre vs. Penn 2: Declaration. “But it was one of those things where I knew I had to get up and defend the (light heavyweight) title. Regardless of the profession, there are a lot of ups and downs. And a successful person has to keep climbing and standing up on their feet.”

Penn, of course, insists he never contemplated calling it a career after what he described as the most disappointing setback of his nine-year UFC career Super Bowl weekend. Instead, he returned to San Diego, his training site, and began conditioning for his clash against fellow American Kenny Florian. The fight, which took place August 9 in Philadelphia, ended in the fourth round when a rather frustrated and livid Penn emerged victorious by submission for his fourteenth win, thanks to an emphatic rear naked choke.

It was, at least according those affiliated with the Penn camp, a confidence-building, grudge victory for the world’s No. 1 lightweight fighter, given the situation that surrounded his bout against Florian.

Weeks prior to his rematch against St-Pierre, Penn was tipped off by Florian, who sent him multiple emails and text messages, saying that St-Pierre had been using Vaseline in numerous parts of his body as an advantage, of sorts, against his opponents. However, after the Penn-Florian fight was announced, Florian was seen working out with St-Pierre and later denied telling Penn such news. Penn, as result, felt betrayed by Florian, calling him a liar, cheater, and two-faced, among other things. Penn, much to his delight, eventually took his frustrations out on Florian when the two collided in Philadelphia’s UFC 101: Declaration.

“It was just good to beat Florian because he was the one who called and told me St-Pierre was a greaser,” Penn said. “And then he came back and lied and said he didn’t say it. But everybody in this camp knew he said it. He texted it to everybody. I guess everybody thought I was whining about my loss to Pierre. But I’m not the kind who worries about what people think.”

Penn, in fact, felt he had got a raw deal after his bout against St-Pierre. The fight was met with an array of controversy when the eventual champion, according to Penn, was seen between rounds applying grease to several parts of his body. Even now, Penn contends that St-Pierre, UFC’s current welterweight title holder and the world’s No.1 welterweight fighter according to various MMA publications, had been busted, given the immediate response by a member of the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

“One of the commission members said he, ‘He’s greasing! He’s greasing!' Penn recalled. Even while we were walking out of the arena, one of the members said he caught him greasing in the corner.”

NSAC officials came into the octagon and wiped down St-Pierre’s torso although, according to numerous reports, there were no significant amounts of Vaseline discovered. Consequently, St-Pierre appeared on ESPN’s MMA show hours after the fight, claiming that the grease rub down was part of a routine to control his energy for improved breathing. He also apologized to Penn for any grease that may have transferred to his body.

Of course, Penn didn’t buy St-Pierre’s explanation. Instead, he sent a formal request to NSAC officials, asking them to investigate the situation. Despite all the complaints from the Penn camp, the commission took no action. Today, however, Penn insists the controversy that surrounded the St-Pierre fight is a dead issue and that all of the hoopla emcompassing what has been a tumultuous year for him is where it belongs: behind him.

“I never think about it anymore,” Penn said. People ask me about it. It’s not really something on my mind.”

Preparing for Sanchez, he said, is his only objective at this point in his career. He has been training intensely since the UFC --- which will be on display in Memphis for the first time --- announced he will defend his lightweight title against Sanchez. A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sanchez recently moved from the 170- to 155-pound class and enters his third fight this year having won four consecutive bouts. It will be the first meeting between the fighters.

While Penn believes Sanchez is worthy of a title shot, given his recent success in the 155-pound division has led to him emerging as the top contender, he said capturing his fifteenth victory in the Bluff City could go along away in terms of him enduring a better year in 2010. Additionally, stopping a streaking and resilient Sanchez (21-2) could result in a much-anticipated Beale Street celebration according to Penn, who has never visited Memphis.

The featured bout against Sanchez takes place one day before his birthday.

“We could be fighting around 11, 11:30 at night,” Penn said laughing. “So I could be in the ring when I turn 31. When I’m flying home to Hawaii, I will be celebrating my birthday.”

Provided he prevails, this year surely can end a whole lot better than the way it began.