UFC 137 Results: 5 Reasons BJ Penn Is Right to Retire

Many of us fight fans were sad on Saturday night as we watched BJ Penn lose in devastating fashion to Nick Diaz at UFC 137.

Penn came in to the fight favored to win and actually walked out the winner of the first round by almost all accounts. That all changed, however, as the second round began.

We watched as Penn got his face worked over by Diaz in a way that’d we’d never seen before. It was a hard thing to watch. After the loss, Penn told Joe Rogan that he was pretty sure he was retiring.

Read on to see five reasons why retirement is the best thing for the Hawaiian at this point in his life.

His Motivation

Going into this fight, Penn seemed extremely motivated and almost certain of victory. Everyone thought we were going to see a new and improved BJ once the fight started.

That’s not how it ended up unfortunately. Penn just hasn’t looked himself for his past couple of fights. He’s had a great career and doesn’t have anything to prove. It seems like he knows that, too.

Penn’s motivation surely finds other outlets in his life, but sadly it doesn’t seem to be in fighting any more.

His Health

Taking a beating the way Penn did last night isn’t healthy for anyone. Penn isn’t that old at only 32, but his body’s recovery is surely beginning to slow down.

If Penn continues to get pummeled the way he did last night it could end up being very health. Not only did his face look badly hurt at the end of the night, but the more we learn about the brain, the more we see that continual head traumas are worse than we ever thought.

Penn ate a lot of head shots last night, and it wouldn’t be wise to continue to do so in the search for UFC gold from such an already storied career.

His Record

After last nights loss, Penn’s record now sits at 16-8, which is still a very respectable record. That could all change, however, with a couple more losses.

There’s no doubting that Penn has been one of the best fighters to appear in the UFC, but with a few more losses, his record may not be as respectable as some other great fighters.

Putting more numbers in the loss column wouldn’t be good for BJ’s legacy.

His Career

That drive to compete in so many of the great fighters just keeps pushing them all past their stopping point. Penn is currently at risk of falling into that same dark hole.

We’ve seen so many fighters fight well past their prime, and as much as we don’t want it to, it will always tarnish their amazing legacy.

It doesn’t have to be the same with Penn. He still has a chance to get out before he goes the way of so many other great fighters who kept thinking they had what it took to be on top once again.

His Family

No reason is better, or more important, than family. Penn said himself that he has a daughter at home with another on the way.

Penn can continue to have great success living off his legacy, perhaps going the way of Chuck Liddell and working for the UFC.

No matter what he does, Penn will surely put his focus on his growing family. He’s completely right to keep his children from the trauma of seeing his face beaten to a pulp. Need I remind everyone of Mark Coleman and that disaster?

The fact is that, as much as we ant Penn to stay, it’s time for him to move on and be with his family. We’ve been able to watch his career and see him grow. It’s been a great ride, but it’s time it ended.