BJ Penn: What will his MMA legacy be?

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                                BJ Penn: What will his MMA legacy be?

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Will BJ Penn be remembered as one of (Mixed Martial Arts) MMA’s all time greats?

Heading into his second meeting with Frankie Edgar at UFC 118, fans and critics anticipated a more focused, more aggressive B.J. Penn to step into the cage. They believed this fight would be a perfect storm of Edgar fighting a strategic battle on a night that Penn looked off, and that B.J. Penn, the man widely considered the greatest lightweight of all-time, would show the skills that earned him that distinction in the first place.

Nothing changed.

Penn did not look like the fighter who dominated Diego Sanchez. Glossed over and searching for answers, Penn was once again beaten to the punch, taken down, and dominated en route to his second consecutive loss to the new ruler of the UFC lightweight division: Frankie Edgar.

After years of being recognized as one of the greatest fighters in UFC and MMA, B.J. Penn’s legacy as a fighter is being called into question. While it is impossible to question his gifts, the results on Penn’s resumes are now being put under the microscope, with a notion that was once universally accepted being examined in a new light. Once unchallenged as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters the sport has ever seen, many are wondering if “The Prodigy” has become a case study in what could have been.

BJ Penn has always earned a free pass for his shortcomings.

Where other fighters are chided for offering excuses and explanations of losses, Penn’s list of ailment, accusations, and reasons for losing have been accepted. In the past, when he said he was unfocused and would be better next time he stepped into the octagon, people believed him. That well has all but dried up following his second-straight defeat to Edgar. BJ Penn’s training, team, and overall achievements are coming under intense scrutiny, and understandably so.

While some fighters work every day to validate being heralded as one of the sport’s best, BJ Penn has been content to accept praise and continue doing business as usual in Hilo, surrounded by coaches and trainers who agreed with the assessments of their fighter while never asking him to back up the assessment in his training or fights.

Penn is undeniably one of the most naturally-talented men to step into the cage and the UFC.

He’s one of the best boxers in the sport. His Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is legitimately the stuff of legends. And his flexibility, balance, and all-around skills are the envy of fighters who work twice as hard for twice as long. His nickname is truly fitting, but “The Prodigy” could have been even better.


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1st in before nut hugs Phone Post

 BJ's legacy: "What if?"

basically the article is stating that BJ is overrated......and I agree 100%

One of the very few people to have belts in two different weight classes in a serious organization

LEGIT

Could he have been better? yes, but so could everyone else
He's still great

His legacy will be that he's one of the most naturally gifted fighters to ever enter MMA, but had one major weakness, a lack of cardio.

He can also be looked upon as an example on how not to manage your fight career. The divisions in MMA are pretty far apart, it's not like boxing. So to move up a division is a pretty big step, and BJ a guy who's a natural LW moved up to fight a natural LHW at one point.

While he won the WW title, he ended up on the receiving end of some pretty bad beatings from the natural WW's.

And just for the record I don't like the arguments that BJ changed etc, not the same BJ... no. Even in the Ken Flo and Diego fights BJ had a pretty slow pace. It's just his natural skills were able to negate any offence the two of them would try to bring against him.

One of the best of all time.

You have never seen him tap or go out cold.

List of guys he has finished:

Sean Sherk
Joe Stevenson
Kenny Florian
Diego Sanchez
Takanori Gomi
Matt Hughes
Din Thomas
Caol Uno
Duane Ludwig
Jens Pulver


Lost a close decision to lyoto.

I never once remember him doing any thing for "points" like shooting a takedown at the end of the round. He always came to finish fights.

He's 31 years old. Hasn't had any major injuries. Rarely takes much damage. There's still quite a few chapters to be written in the BJ Penn book.


 

Tommy Gunnz - basically the article is stating that BJ is overrated......and I agree 100%
Yep.



IMO his legacy will be to have been the fighter with the most wasted potential, surrounded by the most lackeys, and the fighter with the most out of touch with reality fan base. Psychologists would have a field day and one should write a thesis on fanatacism and denial in sports and use his fans as the central topic. Maybe "big" Pharmacy can get wind and make a ridiculous amount of money coming up with a pill for these sheeple. Anything that can wash their brains so they can see for the first time that BJ doesn't actually walk on a water ramp into the ring for every fight.



So many other fighters have ACCOMPLISHED much more and BJ's fans act affronted that they should ever be mentioned. How many title defenses did Hughes make? How many fights has he had? How many top opponents has he fought and BEATEN? Hughes is a great example of someone swept under the rug by BJ's fans, yet he CLEARLY has accomplished more, yet in their minds BJ is better...with a 5th of the title defenses and total fights.

 

I respect BJ the fighter, but after hearing excuse after excuse for his previous losses, I don't respect BJ the man Phone Post

I hope he's remembered as one of the best MMArtists of all time, someone who was phenomenally gifted, someone who lacked effort and motivation at times, and one of, if not, the most pure and complete MMA fighters ever.

haters gonna hate.


BJ is a lock hall of famer.

I love him, but I think his legacy will be inconsistent greatness. He's such an interesting person that his inconsistency actually makes him more appealing.

Calhoon - "Will BJ Penn be remembered as one of (Mixed Martial Arts) MMA’s all time greats?"

It all depends on what the U.F.C. marketing machine tells the sheep to believe. They can spread the word that he was the best lightweight ever and most people will agree with them or they could say that he was never quite as good as people first thought and most people will believe that too.


Indeed! Propaganda is a powerful tool that effects everyday life. It was a strong tool in history and will continue to be so in the future.

 Yes, I also believe BJ could have been better.  But let me ask, who has been better than BJ?  Frankie, having two consecutive victories over Penn, comes the closest, and he has still not had half the career that BJ has.



BJ could have been better, and hopefully still will be better.  But if that is hardly an argument against BJ's greatness.

IMO he will be looked at in 25 years much like Mickey Mantle is in basbeall.



He could have and should have been one of the best ever (meaning top 5) but for one reason or another, wasnt.



Truthfully, I am a huge fan but the guy can be a lazy, stubborn, and unmotivated fuck.

The problem is thats part of what makes a fighter; his mindset and sometimes BJ is lacking.



I still think hes a great fighter, but when you look at a guy like GSP who is ALWAYS constantly looking to improve, there will be a noticable difference in how they are viewed when all is said and done.



Plus as the sport evolves and the fighters get better and more well rounded, BJ wont be thought of as highly since fans of any sport love to compare players/fighters of different era's.


I was at UFC 118 and you could tell from Buffer's intro that zuffa doesn't like BJ much prolly for not being a 'yes man' Randy comes out and it's "however many time hw champ, however many time LHW champ and hall of famer" BJ comes out and all he says is "Former LW champ" WTF?

That said he's a polarizing figure and I do agree that his extreme fans have "blind faith." I will always be a fan, he tries to finish fights and I love his 'Just Scrap' attitude. I met him at a signing in Vancouver BC and he was a really cool dude, laid back, thankful for support. They brought two people in at a time and after we got pics and autos they had us move to another room. He made it a point to come back there and thank us again. He needs to get motivated but having a kid, hating to be away from Hilo, and not having anyone to push him will hold him back. I hope he has a 'resurrection' and goes to a new camp... ideally cesar gracie or aka

It's frustrating because he is easily one of the most talented fighters, You look at Mayweather incredibly talented, but he works his ass off and comes prepared and never phones it in, he could , he could probably get by on talent too but he doesnt he puts the work in, I wish BJ would too

yhknq - bj is one of the best to ever do it

haters will hate and point out losses

he always takes on the top level competition

even at higher weight classes

he isn't hand picking good match ups for himself

he is simply looking to test himself against the best

he is a true warrior

his resume speaks for itself
Perfect example of the religious mindset out of touch with reality.

Only to a BJ fan do losses not matter and only to a BJ fan is losing transformed into "taking on top level competition at higher weight classes" as if it's winning.

NecroPixie - Right now he doesn't have a legacy and is nowhere close to being a hall of famer.



LOL. The 10'er

Belt in two weight classes. That achievement alone makes him a lock. He could retire right now and be inducted almost immediately.

If he's not a hall of famer, who is?