by Jason Kelly

BJ Penn, is he really that good? …

That’s a question I can’t help but ask myself. While others have written off BJ due to his last 2 losses and have announced BJ Penn has nothing left to offer them, I reflect on what he did offer throughout his career and contemplate if Penn was truly “The Prodigy”.

His “Prodigy” alias was given to him as a result of his quick BJJ accomplishments and I won’t argue those are remarkable feats but, when Penn’s MMA career is finely examined, it may tell a story that perhaps shouldn’t include the word “Prodigy”. BJ approached the MMA scene 9 years ago as a fierce, scrappy competitor at UFC 31, definitively winning his first 3 fights and acquiring a title shot against Jens Pulver. Penn lost a close decision to Pulver in that fight and this was the first evidence of BJ Penn’s inadequacy, not so much the loss but the pattern this would initiate for Penn’s career. He won his next 2 fights then he fought to a draw with Caol Uno, a man Penn destroyed some 13 months prior, from there a period began that could be considered BJ’s greatest run of his career.

From October 2003 to July 2005 Penn sported a record of 5-1. That single loss was from one of his crazy epiphanies that made Penn think it was a good idea to fight Lyoto Machida at Machida’s weight. In that time Penn defeated Takanori Gomi, Matt Hughes, and 2 Gracie’s. BJ appeared to be the “Prodigy” we all believed would decimate any fighter on his radar however, BJ lost his next 2 fights to GSP and Matt Hughes. Notice a pattern yet?

Penn came back strong to avenge his loss to Pulver, and then continued to make Joe Stevenson and Sean Sherk resemble novices. BJ, with 3 consecutive wins, decided he wanted a bout at 170 against GSP and with his 3 victories at that time, considering the fashion they were finished in, fans believed Penn might get his revenge on GSP. Penn’s history repeated itself as he lost to a fighter who was willing to fight him, following suit of his career; except this time he provided outlandish excuses. His complaining and accusations of St. Pierre using greasing agents and partaking in steroids only tarnished Penn’s image, having fans not give him the respect of a warrior, due to his childish and unsportsmanlike behavior.

Penn came back to win 2 at 155, beating 2 credible foes in Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez but, as soon as Penn was back to his winning ways, he dropped a fight and belt to Frankie Edgar, there’s Penn’s pattern surfacing again. This brings us to probably the most important fight in BJ Penn’s career, Edgar vs. Penn 2. Its evident BJ wins a few then drops one but, not many thought he would lose to Frankie the first time, their second fight was supposed to be the return of BJ –again- and Frankie was supposed to get damaged. Frankie beat Penn again, and this time was worse than the first. BJ could make no excuses, he simply did the same thing he has always done; he starts to lose to guys who actually fights him and he quits before the fight is done. BJ had facial expressions of not caring to be there in their second fight, and his corner provided insignificant motivation.

Penn’s recent loss to Frankie is going to be the loss that keeps his name unmentioned in the same breath as GSP or Anderson Silva. He has taken criticism his entire career from Dana White for not taking the sport seriously and lacking conditioning. Fans often wonder which BJ Penn is going to show up to fight. Penn has had mesmerizing highlight reel finishes and when he comes to fight, you can guarantee entertainment; but with winning 2 of his last 5 and looking worse in his second fight against Frankie, can you still call him one of the best? With only 2 title defenses and his longest winning streak being only 4 fights, can BJ Penn even be considered an all time great?

by Jason Kelly

Joe Lauzon! Where the hell did you come from, and are you here to stay? Lauzon was predicted to do extremely well in UFC and has definitely shown potential but, poor Gabe Ruedigar was the victim of Joe Lauzon’s most impressive beating I have ever seen him administer. A dominating run down that was short lasted and which must have been an embarrassment for Gabe, as he took jabs at Joe on the internet and the “Sorry for Your Loss” cake he unveiled at the weigh ins, unquestionably fueled the mercilessness Lauzon brandished.

Jens Pulver felt Lauzon’s knockout power prior to Joe’s stint on The Ultimate Fighter, after receiving positive expectations from performances on the show, he has endured a better than average career in UFC, only losing to Kenny Florian and Sam Stout. With Joe’s impressive victories in the past, I suspected Lauzon would beat Gabe but, in no foreseen way, did I think it would be a dismantlement of that caliber. Gabe Ruedigar came out of his corner with a willingness to fight Lauzon, but it was seemingly pointless. Lauzon launched Ruedigar to the floor aggressively, proceeded to transition to his back, and then smash Ruedigar with brutal punches until Gabe gave up an arm bar and that was that, “Welcome to Boston!” Utter destruction in only 2 minutes, Gabe should’ve stayed in California; because Joe made sure he had no business coming to Massachusetts.

If this is the Joe Lauzon we will continue to see, I am incredibly excited. Ruedigar isn’t recognized on anyone’s top 10 list –or 20 in some cases- but, he has been winning and finishing in smaller circuits, he came prepared and in shape to fight Joe Lauzon, it’s just that Lauzon exhibited a performance that could’ve hindered any lightweight’s skills. Joe’s previous fight didn’t flaunt a glimmer of what we witnessed Saturday, he was “kicked” apart by Sam Stout, although Lauzon underwent ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) surgery months before that fight, he didn’t perform any better or worse than he did preceding the surgery. If that was any excuse for his loss against Stout, he showed it was a valid excuse at UFC 118.

Hopefully Joe Lauzon’s knee stays healthy, and these are the performances he will conduct constantly in the octagon, it will have to be for him to compete and win against UFC’s top fighters at lightweight. With the obliteration Gabe was dealt from Lauzon at UFC 118, along with the zero damage Joe sustained, is what gives any fighter an eventual title shot and longevity. Joe’s falling out with his brother has been patched up he claims, Joe has also stated his knee is healthy, and he’s got a great camp along with BJ Penn’s expertise always being available. If these are the planets lining up for Joe Lauzon, it could be a great future to expect from him, because UFC 118’s Joe Lauzon made Gabe Ruedigar look damn near as bad as James Toney.

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