Dana White – BJ Penn’s next fight will be last: “Win, lose or draw, this is it”
As of late former double UFC champ BJ Penn’s career hasn’t been a particularly decorated one. While perhaps the most accomplished lightweight of all time, he sits on a record-setting seven fight losing streak and hasn’t won a fight since 2010. Drifting in and out of retirement, it has seemed like the next fight for Penn would be his last on several occasions.
UFC president Dana White recently said, following Penn’s recent loss to Clay Guida, that the former lightweight champ wouldn’t fight again in the octagon. A claim that hasn’t aged well, as Penn was later booked to fight Nik Lentz at a yet to be determined event. White however tells TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter that this will be Penn’s last fight, regardless of outcome.
Dana White on BJ Penn's return and his recent conversation with Conor McGregor
Full interview: https://t.co/ywEeUBqEKA pic.twitter.com/V0xSxhavh0
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) July 28, 2019
“He terrorized me and he’s one of the originals. He promised me, we have a deal that this is his last fight. Win, lose or draw, this is it.”
Penn’s last win was a knockout in a trilogy with Matt Hughes. He then fought Jon Fitch to a draw in what would be Penn’s last, non-losing effort in the UFC. Then a string of losses began, as Penn lost to both established, top-tier competition like Nick Diaz and Rory MacDonald, but also lesser known names like Dennis Siver and Ryan Hall. Penn’s last fight was the above mentioned loss to Guida, which came via unanimous decision.
It remains to be seen if White’s guarantee on the matter will hold.