B.J. Penn
Jiu-jitsu prodigy who won UFC gold at two weights
- Born
- December 13, 1978, Kailua, Hawaii, US
- Nationality
United States- Height
- 175 cm (5′9″)
- Reach
- 178 cm (5′10″)
- Stance
- Orthodox
- Style
- Jiu-jitsu boxer
- Weight
- Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Featherweight, Openweight
- Active
- 2001–2014, 2017–2019
- Status
- Retired · age 47
The record
Professional MMA; last fought in 2019. record
The story
.J. Penn earned his jiu-jitsu black belt in about three years and in 2000 became the first non-Brazilian to win the black-belt division at the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship. He brought that grappling into MMA along with fast hands, elusive head movement and strong takedown defense. In 2004 he moved up to welterweight and choked out Matt Hughes in the first round to win the UFC title, but was stripped after signing with another promotion. Back at lightweight he beat Joe Stevenson for the title in 2008, becoming the second fighter to win UFC titles in two weight classes, and defended it three times before Frankie Edgar won a close decision in 2010. He fought everywhere from featherweight to openweight, last competed in 2019, and entered the UFC Hall of Fame in 2015.
Tap a technique with an arrow to learn how it works.
- UFC lightweight champion (2008–2010, 3 successful defenses)
- UFC welterweight champion (2004)
- World Jiu-Jitsu Championship black belt gold (2000)
- UFC Hall of Fame, first Modern Wing inductee (2015)
Defining fights
- 2004WINvs Matt Hughes (rear-naked choke R1, won UFC welterweight title)
- 2008WINvs Joe Stevenson (rear-naked choke R2, won UFC lightweight title)
- 2008WINvs Sean Sherk (TKO R3, title defense)
- 2009LOSSvs Georges St-Pierre (TKO R4, welterweight title fight)
- 2010LOSSvs Frankie Edgar (UD, lost lightweight title)
When an opponent turns or scrambles, take the back, sink the hooks and finish with the rear-naked choke, the way he won the welterweight title from Matt Hughes. Grappling students can drill back takes from scrambles, and MMA students can pair them with head-movement boxing.
