![]() ![]() Penn's two consecutive losses to the younger and quicker Frankie "The Answer" Edgar spelled the end of his long championship reign. Penn’s lightweight reign thereafter was marked by a new found commitment to strength and conditioning preparation, and solidified his pound-for-pound legacy. He became only the second fighter in MMA history behind Randy Couture to win major titles in two different weight divisions. weight to take the UFC Lightweight Championship in 2008. Return to UFCPenn found mixed success upon his re-entrance into the UFC as a welterweight in 2006, and would soon drop to his natural-and original-155 lb. His upset of the bigger, stronger and seemingly impervious Hughes by choke-out earned Penn the UFC welterweight title.Īfter business disputes with the UFC derailed his title reign, forcing his abdication of the belt, Penn embarked upon a bizarre, if fascinating, stage of his career, accepting fights in various promotions all over the world with top level fighters of any weight class, including then-undefeated light heavyweight and future UFC champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida at 205 lbs., a full fifty pounds over Penn’s optimal fighting weight of 155 lbs. After a setback to then-champion Jens Pulver in 2002, Penn went on a seven-fight unbeaten streak from 2002-2004, defeating notable fighters Matt Serra, “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi, Matt Hughes and Rodrigo Gracie in the process. It would turn out to be the the first of Penn's many displays of stunning martial arts virtuosity.Įarly UFC & MMA CareerWith substantial buzz already surrounding him, Penn made his professional MMA debut in 2001 for the UFC, where he quickly lived up to his prodigious moniker by dispatching his first three opponents, including respected lightweight veterans Din Thomas and Caol Uno, in the first round. Penn earned his trademark nickname, “The Prodigy,” for accomplishing his extraordinary feat of sport Jiu-Jitsu after only a few short years of mat time. ![]() That same year, in Rio De Janeiro, Penn made history by becoming the first non-Brazilian to win the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships. Brazilian Jiu-JitsuBefore entering professional mixed martial arts competition, Hilo, Hawaii’s BJ “The Prodigy” Penn was a world-class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, earning his black belt under Andre Pederneiras in 2000.
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