This is not really BJ Penn. I am a fan of  BJ.  If there is anything you feel should be on this page,  message me. i will try to make it happen.

Feel free to comment as if this was BJ Penn and foward to all your friends. this will make it a better fan page.  But, message only if you want to talk to me.

thanks

bob

July 29, 2005
by Josh Gross (joshg@sherdog.com)

Despite recent troubles with the law, a contentious court case in which he sued his former promoter and the pressures that come from headlining a fight in his home state against a man with a legendary last name, life is good for B.J. Penn.

With the grandiose vision of filling 20,000 seats inside Honolulu's Aloha Stadium, home for the NFL's Pro Bowl, K-1 approached Penn about fighting Renzo Gracie (pictures), who, despite a serious downturn in his career over the past four years, still carries with him the stature that colors the first family of mixed martial arts.

Before it's all said and done, Penn hopes that his surname holds as much weight. And he's got a vision, very much his own, on how to make that happen.

His is a story of defiance. Of breaking rules and, smartly or foolishly, challenging authority. With B.J. Penn, there is much to discuss, particularly on the eve of his first K-1 main event, which will be carried throughout North America via tape-delayed pay-per-view this Sunday.

Josh Gross: I remember talking to you before you fought Jens Pulver (pictures), which was ages ago, and you said one of the reasons you trained in San Jose with AKA was because the Islands offered so many distractions and there was trouble out there. Was [the incident with the police, in which Penn was arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer outside a night club in Waikiki] a situation where you were prophetic, that's exactly what happened?

B.J. Penn: This is just something that happened. Something that took place. Life is like a box of chocolates. There's nothing I could do about it.

Gross: Have you felt that way at all since returning to Hawaii or has it been a purely positive thing for you?

Penn: Yeah, purely positive. Back home I don't have to wait in traffic to go anywhere because the other island, Oahu is just like a regular city. Hilo is like a small town. One minute to get to the gym. One minute to get home. Not like an hour to get to the gym and an hour to home and wasting all that time. But I'm a lot better. I'm a lot happier fighter. I don't take fighting as serious as I did back then. I just have fun. That's why if it's not fun for me I don't want to even do it. So just having a good time.

Gross: So if it's not fun for you, there's no point. What are you current goals? What keeps you fighting?

Penn: My only goal was to get the UFC belt. After that happened, I don't know, I just fight for fun now. Just to have a good time. I still like fighting. I enjoy it. Everything else is just boring to me. I mean I'm a human being first. I do whatever I want first and fighting comes second to me. I just live my life and have a good time and just have fun.

Gross: You're fortunate. You grew up in a pretty good financial situation. You didn't have to worry about much. Did that have a big impact on how you handled the situation with the UFC? You figured, "I'm going to go off and do my own thing because I can do it"?

Penn: No. I always wanted to fight in the UFC. It was just me looking at what K-1 could offer me. They could offer me new fighters to fight with. They could offer me exposure in Japan. They wanted to pay me a bunch of money. And I told the UFC, "I don't want to hold you guys hostage. I'll fight for whatever you guys want me to fight for too. Let's do it both. Look, I got it written in this K-1 contract I can fight in UFC, too. You know what I mean? Let's do it. I'll fight in different weights or in each one, you know. And it doesn't really come down to, like you said, I could live a good life. I don't fight to live, I live to fight. You know what I mean? I'm not somebody who has to fight to eat a piece of food that night. I'm not a billionaire or something but I got food on the table. I always eat. I'll never go hungry. But I live to fight because I love to fight. You know what I mean? I'm not forced to do it. It's just something I love to do and the situation was just good exposure for me in Japan, good exposure for me in the U.S. I was trying to become a worldwide fighter but the UFC cut the neck on me on the U.S. side. So, whatever.

Gross: I heard there was a deal on the table for you to re-sign with the UFC but it was contingent upon you apologizing. Is that true?

Penn: Yes, that is very true.

Gross: Who demanded that you apologize and who were you supposed to apologize to?

Penn: It was demanded that I say I'm sorry to all the fans. That I let them down, and this and that. And let down the UFC and that I know I made a mistake and now I know that. It was a mistake leaving and now I know it was a mistake.

Gross: So this was supposed to be a public apology. It wasn't behind closed doors to [UFC President] Dana (White) or anything like that?

Penn: Yeah, strictly public apology. I mean if would have done it I would have been on "The Ultimate Fighter" season two probably with Hughes now, and this and that. Getting my face out there. But, yeah, that's how it goes. That's how things are. Everything happens for a reason. But I'm sure things will work its way out later and I think I'll be fighting in the UFC one day.

Gross: Are there any regrets? Obviously apologizing, it's not something you want to do or be forced into. Unless you really mean it, there's no point, right?

Penn: If I really meant it then I'd do it in a second. "Hey man, I'm really sorry for leaving. This and that." But I don't really believe it, so why am I going to go out and do it? If Dana wants to feel that he saves face that way, then that's how he feels and that's his business. And if I feel that I want to save face my way, then that's my business. I'm not going to go up there and do something that I don't believe I should be doing just to get my face on TV and do this and this and that. And basically just give up everything, trying to take my manhood asking me to do something I don't believe is right.

Gross: So why do you feel — I mean it sounds like there is, maybe animosity is not the right word, but there is still hard feelings — why do you feel that one day you'll be back in the UFC?

Penn: I don't think it's hard feelings. Of course, everybody knows how Dana is on a professional level when he gets mad. A lot of decisions from him are made emotionally. But it still is business and I think business-wise we will be in there again. We just keep winning our fights. We keep learning our things. We keep growing as a fighter. Getting my name out there. I'm still doing things. This next show will be shown in 60 countries around the world. We're the main event, the first time a mixed martial arts fight has been in any kind of [K-1] Grand Prix. We're the main event. We probably won't be huge on pay-per-view in the U.S., but the hardcore fans will probably watch it. So we're still getting our name out there a little. But in the other countries we're blasting our name out there. My last fight with Lyoto wasn't shown on TV. It was a lackluster fight. But the Ludwig fight was shown on TV. So we're pushing. We're getting our name out there.

Gross: How much are you guys doing behind the scenes to get K-1 more interested in promoting MMA fights and putting MMA fights on TV? If you're doing anything at all.

Penn: No, no. We're pushing Rumble World Entertainment. But when K-1 comes to town and they want some help with stuff we have a good business relationship with them and we help them out.

Gross: Since you fought Hughes, obviously you fought Rodrigo Gracie and you fought Ryoto Machida (pictures) and you had another fight. But do you feel that you've been challenged at all since you started taking those fights? They're good fighters but they're not the top-level fighters — not Gomi and Hughes.

Penn: Definitely. I got a lot from this last fight with Lyoto. I really learned a lot. What really works. That was definitely stepping into the fountain of knowledge in that fight. I found out what I can do in there, a lot of different stuff. I really grew a lot, I feel, as a fighter in that fight. But I mean, to say that those guys aren't the same kind of caliber as Gomi and Hughes when I finished Gomi and I finished Hughes and I didn't finish Rodrigo and I didn't finish Lyoto, those guys are very good fighters too. It's just perception of people. But I've been in the ring with all those guys. I know if I'm in the ring with Hughes again, I'll finish him again. Gomi same thing. Actually, next time I fight Rodrigo, if it ever does happen, I'd put him away and finish him. Definitely, I've grown as a fighter since these last couple fights. Not to say Gomi and Hughes haven't grown. I mean they're awesome. They're great fighters. Look what Gomi's done, knocking everybody out. Hughes coming back, beating all those guys again and this and that. So, I mean, it's not like they're on a tear but I feel I'm a great fighter and contend with anyone.

Gross: There's an argument out there that basically the fights that you've taken against these heavier guys puts you in a "no lose" situation. If you lose the fight, so what? You fought a bigger guy. If you win then you get a lot of accolades. Do you feel you're putting yourself in a "no lose" situation where a loss doesn't really hurt you and there's really not much to gain out of it?

Penn: The only thing they can say that about is about the Lyoto fight or something because I fought Ludwig — if I had lost that would have been terrible. I fought Rodrigo, who was the same size. If I had lost that, that would have been terrible. I fought Lyoto. You know what I mean? F__k man, I thought I was going to win that fight. I still think I can go in and do good. I want to have better training partners. I don't want to make any excuses. If I ever fight him again I want to have better training partners. People like Chuck Liddell (pictures). People like that kind of people to train with if I fight Lyoto. And Renzo. If I lose, where is my career going? It's f__ked.

Gross: Renzo is 1-5 in his last six fights and hasn't been a player in that division in a long time. So why did you accept that fight?

Penn: I think it's all about filling up a 20,000-seat arena, you know what I mean. I think that's what K-1 wants to do and what they want to try to put together to fill up a 20,000-seat arena. But besides that, it's a good fight. It's going to be an exciting fight. I mean, if you look at every single one of the people—you know, fighting in a show it's all about who's going to watch the thing—if you look at all the people in the UFC welterweight division, even I think the middleweight division, a lot more people know who Renzo is, especially worldwide, not just in the U.S. Because the UFC is just in the U.S. market. But this is going to be worldwide on television in 60 countries and stuff like that. I guess it was a no-brainer for them to try and put that together.

Gross: This is a mega-fight in Hawaii and this arena is huge. What's that like headlining a show in your home state, obviously in front of a pro-B.J. Penn crowd?

Penn: It's awesome. I like fighting over here. The day of the fight I can sleep all day. It's nothing new. It's not in my hometown, but on another island. Same state. So I just feel comfortable. It's the same air I breathe everyday. It's good. When I get in that ring, I like how Renzo stares people down, I'll be on the other side walking around looking at him. We're looking at each other. The hype and the energy and everything is building up. I'm going to feel it. I'm going to feel the hair on my body standup and look across the ring. It's going to be excitement. There's going to be electricity in between the two of us standing across the ring looking at each other. Renzo's a crazy guy to count out. He can fight good with a lot of people. I don't know how much he's been training in his last fights. I heard he just showed up the fights. He was teaching, doing business and this and that, not taking it serious though. He's a lot older. He's 38 years old. He's had a lot of time off. That's the best thing a lot of times. When you fight so often, you're so active you take a year off and you're just on it. You're ready to train. You're ready to fight. There's something missing in your life for that one year. So it's back. He's got a challenge like me to step up to fight and I'm sure he's going to come in hard, fighting hard.

Gross: If you don't stop him or submit him, will you be disappointed?

Penn: Who's the last person who did stop him or submit him? Sakuraba right? Oh, Henderson knocked him out. Of course I'm going to go full bore to stop him or submit him. But I'm not going to say I'm going to be disappointed in myself. As long as it's an exciting fight, you know what I mean. As long as fans can say, "I got my money's worth. This is what I paid for." As long as the fans go home happy, I'll go home happy.

Gross: There are still a lot of fans who wish you would stick with a division and clean it out and fight the best. Beating Gomi and beating Hughes you have a good argument that you already did that. But do you feel at all for the fans who really want to see you fight the best of the best, at least that's how they're perceived?

Penn: If they want to see me fight the best of the best, let me fight all the guys. I'll fight Hughes again in a second. We're trying to put a fight together with Jeremy Horn (pictures) at 185, so it's not like I'm trying to jump out of the weight class. Because I'm walking around at 185 right now. That's what I'm fighting at. And when I said I really want to test myself against someone like Wanderlei Silva (pictures) and people like that, I'm serious. I want to do those kind of things. I want to fight those kinds of people. I want to take it as far as I can take it, especially for myself too. I want to know how good I am. I don't want to sit back later and be like, "yeah man I was the best welterweight ever. Nobody in the whole world ever, ever could mess with me. No one could ever touch me." I want to see. I want to know my limit. I want to know how far I can take it. I want to know who I am. I want to face all these people. I want to look across the ring and look at them in the eyes and stare at them and see how it feels and feel all that emotion. I want to do it all.

Few things in life are more precious than family, fame and fortune. Happiness, for one, is quite possibly the single most valuable commodity one will endure throughout his or her lifetime. Some seek happiness through monetary benefits, others through a means of escape from reality by partaking in a favored pastime.

For BJ Penn, however, happiness could come tenfold on Saturday when he locks horns with world recognized and UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes. Providing that Hughes succumbs to either Penn's superior striking ability or BJ's slick BJJ, he will most certainly leave the Octagon not only with the gold plated welterweight crown, but also with that ever so precious feeling of triumph.

About a week or so ago I had the opportunity to chat with BJ after one of his grueling workouts. It was a rare instance where I actually caught him during some reserved free time just after a quick catnap. Now I pass on to you, loyal Sherdog reader, what we chewed the fat about.

Mike Sloan: How long, exactly, have you been training full force for Hughes? Has it been just the regular five to six weeks, or have you been in the gym for months?

BJ Penn: I've been in for about a month, then the rest of this month left.

MS: How is training going right now? Are there any problems or weight issues?

BP: I'm right on weight. Usually I'm at about 155, but I'm walking around at 170 right now, so I'm good; I'm just out right around there.

MS: With the extra weight that you've accumulated for this fight, does it make you feel sluggish at all?

BP: Nah. I might walk into (The Octagon) at about 165 or whatever, but if that's the weight where I'm comfortable then that's biggest I'm going to get comfortably without putting all kinds of extra weight, you know. That's how I would be if I was going to defend myself out on the street or anywhere at my best.

So if someone's going to attack me out on the street or something, that's where I'll be about; 165 or 170. I'm pretty much the best possible fighter I can be right now for my size, I guess.

MS: When you signed on to challenge Hughes, was it because you wanted to step up and challenge the man regarded as the best in his class or was it because you had difficulties making the lightweight limit of 155?

BP: Nah! I can make 155 easy. I actually got real fat, about 180, before the Gomi fight. But that was just fat, so it was real easy to lose. I didn't have to get or lose any muscle.

The UFC will not get a lightweight title for a long time; at least until the end of 2004. I just want to fight for the belt and I think I can beat him, man. It's no problem for me. I like fighting good people. You know, I can go around and fight all kinds of nobodies and have, like, fifty wins on my record, but when I'm done I want everybody to look at my record and see all these great people that I fought.

I want to fight only the best. Man, I can go right now and fight a shitty guy at the bar! I want to just fight the best people. MS: With Hughes, he's naturally bigger than you, probably stronger than you and most everybody regard him as the world's best welterweight and clearly one of the best, if not the best pound-for-pound. People also consider you have the abilities to be what Hughes is in the eyes of the MMA public. Because Hughes is at the top of the food chain, do you see it possible that you can actually lose to him, or are you so confident that there is no way you'll lose?

BP: Yep, I'm coming to win. This isn't no circus act. I'm coming to win this fight. I'm doing everything in my power to win the fight. I mean, nobody gets three shots at a title. I've already had two and this could be my last, but (chuckles) I'm coming to win this fight. This is no joke, you know?

I'm coming to win and I'm going to knock him out or submit him. I'll do whatever I have to do to win the fight. That's all I know. I'm very confident. I am a jiu jitsu world champion and I feel that I can do anything. I feel that I can do anything in a fight against Hughes, so I don't know. We're just going to have to find out that way.

MS: You have unprecedented striking ability and your jiu jitsu is world class, obviously. Out of your two potent strengths, which do you see as the bigger advantage for you against Hughes?

BP: Both and I think even my takedowns are going to play a part in it, too. I honestly don't feel like he's going to overpower me like everybody says he is. Sure, he's going to be the stronger man in there, but I don't think he's going to overpower me and do whatever he wants with me like everything thinks. That's not what is going to happen.

My takedowns are going to play a role in that. I feel like I am hard to take down and I feel that if I get the right shot, I'm going to take you down. Will it be something for him to think about? I don't know. So I'm going to come in striking, grappling, whatever I have to do.

MS: In his recent string of wins, most people think he's looked invincible with the way he dominated Sherk, Sakurai, Newton in the rematch and most recently, Trigg. By watching his latest fights, what flaw in his style do you see that you can capitalize on?

BP: I see some stuff that I don't want to talk about. (Laughs) I'm not trying to hold out on you, but I feel that there is some stuff that I can definitely do out there, though.

MS: Ever since this fight was announced and that you were making your welterweight debut against Hughes, not many people have fully backed you in terms of the regulars on the various forums. Of course you have supporters, but it seems that the vast majority of MMA fans think you'll get owned by Hughes, even many of your fans. How much does this bother you, if at all?

BP: Infidels!! (Laughs) Nah, just kidding. Nah, it doesn't bother me. You know what? This is the first time in my life that I'm going to be an underdog in any of my fights. I've always been the favorite, so this is kind of fun, actually. There's always going to be those people, though, that even if I do beat Hughes- Wait. I mean, when I beat Hughes, they're going to say that stuff, but whatever. The only people's opinion that really matter is the team that I'm with. And if someone over here on my team said that I couldn't do it, I'd say to get the fuck out of here! But no, that doesn't bother me too much.

MS: Exactly because no matter what you do, you can't please everybody. There is always going to be somebody trashing you.

BP: Yeah and even after I beat him, they'll still say that I never got over the Pulver thing or that I drew with Uno or that I didn't fight Serra well. Who cares? Every fighter goes through adversity. If I never went through all the stuff, if I never had that adversity and didn't have a tough career, like if I walked through Jens and got the belt, I wouldn't be having as good time as I've had. All these people that are with you, then they're not with you, then they like you again and this and that, then there are the people will never like you and then there are people who will always like you, so it's okay.

MS: One thing that I noticed, though, that when you fought Pulver, everybody was riding the BJ bandwagon and though you lost to Jens, not many people jumped off. They still stuck behind you, unlike other fighters who lose their fans the instant they lose.

BP: Honestly, I think people have faith in me and think that I'm one of the best talents to ever fight. I think they realize that I have had problems in my career. I think that maybe they believe that I haven't reached my potential yet and are still waiting to see that knockout of Din Thomas, that knockout of Uno again. That kind of stuff will happen again, you know, and I am very happy that all these people have stuck around. It's good to hear people talking about you like that and understand that it could take some time. This is going to be my tenth fight now and I know I have gotten a lot better. Before I used to fight really hard and look great, then I'd not really try hard and kind of relax. Then I saw what was happening and changed that. I am happy with myself now. I was really happy with my performance against Gomi. I just started having fun again. Before I was just all about that I gotta win, I gotta look good, I gotta do this and that, but then I started just having fun again. It's fun in my training, too. I'm just having a good time like doing other things like swimming in rivers, running on the road, jumping off waterfalls, all kinds of things that I loved to do before I started fighting. I've started to finally get back to doing all those fun things again.

MS: You're alive again! I can hear it in your voice.

BP: I'm alive! So, yeah, I just started doing all those fun things and now it's kind of like a street fight again for me. It's like Matt Hughes is waiting for me outside on my road right here or like I'm about to fight someone with Matt Hughes' skills, you know what I mean?

It's like, 'Okay, come on! Let's go!' That's kind of the mindset that I'm in right now. I'm just happy to be here, happy for the fight and just happy for the opportunity to be able to fight the best people in the world. It's wonderful for me to fight all these great fighters.

MS: Let's move back a couple of fights, but after the loss to Pulver. Yu were dominating everybody you stepped in against and the Pulver fight was close. Though I felt Pulver won, it was a great close fight. In your next fight against Paul Creighton, you seemed- I don't want to say bored- but you didn't look like yourself. It looked like you were fighting without passion that night. What happened? Were you thinking too much, under trained, not focused? I was with John Lewis when UFC 37 was aired and we both were talking about how flat you looked. What was up?

BP: I think it was just all kinds of different trainers. After the whole thing with the Pulver fight, I wasn't training right, like I had all different kinds of trainers coming in. It's not their fault, but I wasn't utilizing their training.

I was listening to other people when I should have been listening to myself. It wasn't their fault because that's what I had them there for, but I should have taken that in a different way. I should have been listening to myself like if I say that I'm not going to throw and elbow, I'm not going to throw it. If I say I'm not going to throw a knee, I won't throw it.

I gotta listen to myself because in the end, it's just going to be me in there. I was going through all sorts of different phases and I felt weird about it. It was like how relaxed can I be and how little can I do in order to beat this guy? Come on, that's not a fighter! That's not why I got into fighting, to see how easily I can beat a guy without even trying.

That's not why I got into fighting. I got into fighting to fucking smash somebody (laughs). Not to hurt them because as soon as the fight's over, it's over. I didn't get into it to actually hurt them, but I got into it because it was like how I got into it when I was a kid on the street. You know, that kind of motivation. (Mimics a fight) "Come on! I'll kick your ass right now! *Boom! Boom! Boom!* ooh, ooh, are you okay?" (snickers again) That's why I got into fighting, not for all this technical shit, like, "Ooh fuck, I'll try this technique during this or that." That's not why.

Fighting is a reaction sport to me. I react to something like you'll do something to me like boom, boom, boom and then I react to that, to that and to that, not to sit and think about what I should do. I started not thinking like that anymore and I'm just not that kind of fighter. I started thinking about what to do next where I usually just react and I usually always react the right way to the situation, the moment. It's just from natural instinct. If I don't, well, I get knocked out and then I won't even know anyway. Do you understand what I'm saying?

MS: (Laughs) Completely. Which of the two fights was more difficult to swallow; the loss to Pulver or the crummy draw with Uno?

BP: Um, I have to say the Pulver fight because that was only my fourth fight and I went out after the first round. Once that first round was done, I was lost already and was just fighting on pure instinct. I would never quit in a fight, but I was just lost and had no idea what was going on. I mean I knew what was going on, but I just didn't know how to react coming into the 10th minute of the fight, the 15th minute, coming into the 20th minute, the 25th minute. I didn't know how to react in that situation.

I didn't know how to react by fighting in front of millions of people for that long before (laughs), you know? But it's cool. As for the draw with Uno, yeah, I know I beat him but I wasn't fighting like a champion that night. I didn't fight like a champion who deserved the belt. I know that and I was doing just enough to win. I consider the UFC belt like a black belt in any martial art. At that time, I should have gotten only a brown belt or whatever, not the black belt. I know I beat Uno up, but did I fight like that belt would want to come home with somebody who fights like that? It didn't want to come home with someone who was fighting that night. I didn't deserve it, you know? That's kind of how I look at it.

MS: That's a very good point, a good analogy. I was watching the fight and scored you ahead of Uno at the end three rounds to two, and when it was draw I was shocked. But, true, the way you put the spin on the situation, it did seem like you didn't truly want the belt.

BP: Before the fight, I even cried because it was for the belt and that I was so glad that this day finally came and that I'd finally be champion. Then after the fight I went out and was bummed about the draw. But after I went back and watched the tape a couple of times, I didn't fight like a champion, so should I deserve to be champion? That's how I feel about it.

MS: When you fought Gomi, was that your idea to part from the UFC for a fight and face him, or was it Zuffa's idea to do so to keep you active while they straighten out the lightweight mess? Was Zuffa all for the idea of having you face, who I felt at the time, the best lightweight in the world?

BP: That's the fight I really wanted all this time. After I found out that Pulver couldn't fight, I wanted Gomi. I said in the beginning that I didn't even want the tournament, that I didn't want to even be in that lightweight tournament with Serra, Uno and Din. I fought two guys in it already.

The only plausible fight for me which was new was Serra and I didn't want Serra yet. I wanted to fight Serra later. I wasn't at a high motivation point and this is nothing against Serra at all; he fought a great fight. But I wasn't at a high to fight Serra. Not just him, but the whole tournament. I wanted Gomi from even back then. I wanted something that I could get up for. Back when I lost to Pulver, Pulver was #1, I was #2 and Gomi was #3. If I couldn't get Pulver, what's the next best thing? The guy right under me.

So I said, "Fine. If Pulver's going to leave, then it's me and Gomi for the belt." They said, "Yep, yep, it sounds great. Okay." Then they came up with the whole tournament and I was like, whatever, what else am I going to do? I had nothing else going on for the rest of the year, so I chose then to do it. I've been waiting for that Gomi fight forever. It really motivated to do that.

As soon as I walked into the ring, I was like, "This is the guy I want to be fighting! Man, you're gonna fucking get your ass kicked tonight! You're gonna get smashed!" (Laughs) Man, I was on top and I got so much experience that night, too. I know how it feels to kick someone's ass, I know how it feels to get my ass kicked, I know how it feels to get a draw. I felt all of that and now I just fight for fun. Of course it's always about being a champion, but it's about fighting.

MS: Leading up to and following the Gomi fight, how was Takanori towards you? Was he a respectful guy or was their some tension between you two?

BP: After the fight, he was real respectful. He said to me that he wanted me to be his sensei, actually. But no, Gomi was very respectful. I'm not trying to mad dog him at all (chuckles) but he was very respectful.

MS: It looks like a rematch with Pulver is MIA for a while. Providing you get past Hughes, will you stay at welterweight or are there plans to go back down to lightweight to fight, maybe, Ludwig or even Sudo?

BP: Oh, I'm not done at lightweight yet. I am definitely not done with the lightweights. That's all I have to say.

MS: No targets mentioned?

BP: No. No targets mentioned until after I beat Hughes.

MS: I appreciate your time and thanks for the interview.

BP: Thank you, but before you go I want to get this out.

MS: Okay, what's up?

BP: I just want to thank all my fans who have stuck behind me the whole time. Be prepared to watch a great fight come January 31st. Okay, that's it. Thanks a lot, man. Take care.

When BJ Penn travelled to Rio De Janiero in 2000 to compete in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, few people thought he had a chance of winning the Black Belt Championships. This was because a non-Brazilian had never won the coveted title before. But a determined Penn fought against the odds and returned home to Hilo, Hawaii, with the prestigious world crown.

"Winning the championship didn't mean that much to me at the time. It means more to me now. And it will probably mean a lot more to me in ten years' time," says Penn.

BJ's grand entrance into the Octagon was also about as subtle as a rhino visiting a china shop. In UFC 31: Locked and Loaded, May 4, 2001, Penn defeated Joey Gilbert by TKO in round one. And at UFC 32: Showdown in the Meadowlands, BJ won by KO against Din Thomas: again in the first round.

UFC 34: High Voltage could well have been named in BJ Penn's honour as he delivered a shock wave to Japan's Caol Uno. It took just 11 seconds for Penn to knock out Uno before the stunned Las Vegas crowd.

Born in Kallua, Hawaii, on December 13, 1978, BJ was named Jay Penn. But as all the male members of his family were also named Jay Penn, and because he is the youngest male in the family, he is called BJ: short for Baby Jay.

BJ says that when he was a kid there were always boxing gloves around his home, and he used to like sparring with his buddies. A Tae Kwon Do instructor who used to run classes nearby had seen the teenagers boxing in their yard, and several times invited BJ to train at his academy.

"My father pleaded with me to attend a class so the instructor would stop pestering him. I was 17 and didn't want to go, because I thought I already was the world's greatest fighter. The instructor didn't do any TKD with me, but used Jiu Jitsu to choke me out on the first night. I thought if I learnt what he was doing, I could beat everybody in the area," says Penn.

On October 10, 2003, Penn fought Japan's Takanori Gomi in Rumble on the Rock IV. "It was a hard fight. I dominated Gomi in round one. The second round was pretty even, and I dominated in round three, winning by rear naked choke."

After UFC World Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes defended his title against Frank Trigg at UFC 45, Mike Goldberg announced BJ Penn was interested in challenging Hughes in the welterweight division. "If BJ Penn wants to step up to the 170 lb division, I welcome the idea," said Hughes.

BJ entered the Octagon at UFC 46: Super Natural on January 31, 2004, to the sound of Sudden Rush's "Day the Hawaiians Took Over". And when Penn stepped up from lightweight class to challenge Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes, BJ was just under 170 lbs for the fight.

A lot of people had thought the increase in weight would be too much of a disadvantage for BJ. Mike Goldberg commented during UFC 45, "And the question would be, 'How would BJ Penn match the strength of Matt Hughes?'" Joe Rogan responded, "He's not going to; that's just it. I mean, the guy's used to fighting at 155 lbs and is going to step up to 170 lbs. He's going to be in a world of trouble."

Penn says moving up a weight class was not a problem for him. "I feel comfortable as a welterweight, but I still want to fight at lightweight as well."

BJ Penn is a well-rounded martial artist, specializing in BJJ, wrestling and kickboxing techniques. But he is always working to further improve and expand his skills. Penn also worked with Ralph Gracie on his BJJ skills. "Ralph was my first teacher when I lived in California; then I moved back to Hawaii and trained with other people."

Prior to his battle with Matt Hughes, Penn said he didn't think techniques would be the deciding factor against Hughes, but believed it would come down to who had the stronger willpower. After winning the welterweight title, Penn believed it was a combination of both aspects.

"I think it was both actually: willpower and techniques. And I feel we were both in about the same shape. Although I don't know if he was willing to do everything that it took to win the fight. But I knew I was. After the fight Matt told me to my face, 'I just want you to know I didn't underestimate you.' I think he didn't ever face anybody - standing up or on the ground - who was as dangerous to him as I was.

"Everything I did in training for UFC 46, I was able to execute in the fight. I trained in a lot of other things, but the fight went quickly, so we got some dominant positions off the bat and we were able to capitalize and finish it."

BJ expects to be back at UFC in the near future, and although no date or weight division has been determined at this stage for his return to the Octagon, MMA viewers can expect to see a very focused BJ Penn ready to face any opponent he is matched with.

"I would also like to say hello to all my fans in Mixed Martial Arts." – BJ Penn.