I Cannot With a Clean Conscience Support B.J. Penn Fighting Again

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This news is borderline disturbing. Anyone who has been an MMA fan knows the legend that is B.J. Penn. The guy received his black belt in jiu jitsu in less than two years (it takes the average person 8-12 years). He is the first two division champ. He is a first ballot Hall of Famer. His accolades are undeniable.

Courtesy of MMA Junkie:

UFC Hall of Famer B.J. Penn is not retiring just yet.

A lightweight bout between Penn (16-13-2 MMA, 12-12-2 UFC) and Clay Guida (34-18 MMA, 14-12 UFC) is the latest addition to May’s UFC 237 lineup in Brazil.

MMAjunkie on Wednesday confirmed the matchup with a person close to the situation following an initial report from MMAFighting.com. The person request anonymity because the fight has not been officially announced.

UFC 237 takes place May 11 at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and UFC Fight Pass.

My issue is this guy is basically a punching bag at this point in his career. He keeps getting fights and has NO business being in the UFC. It has been almost 10 years since he won his last fight. Look at his record:

I do not know anyone who is excited or looking forward to this guy stepping into the cage. Clay Guida is a journeyman in his own right, but he at least has been competitive and is still winning fights. Guida is 3-3 in his last six and still has some fight in him.

Maybe I end up eating my words and Penn sneaks out a win, but this is not a safe fight. How they sanction this is beyond me. The known issues with CTE and brain injuries are well documented in the NFL and boxing. MMA has not been around long enough to see the complete cycle of its effects. Penn is really pushing his luck for living a normal life. 

I can’t comprehend trying to hang up the gloves when you have dedicated your whole life to the game, but allowing this to continue should not be allowed.

I have heard rumors that he is struggling financially. If this is true, then someone needs to get him a broadcasting gig or something that allows him to be involved in the sport without risking his health.

Stan is the Chief of Debauchery for SoBros Network. A native of the Northeast, he is a diehard fan of the New York Yankees, but no, he does not wear a big gold chain and backwards hat. Nor does he drink Heinekens. Follow on Twitter: @sobrostan.

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