BJ Penn: When a "Prodigy" is Stripped of his Aura

There's been a lot of chatter among fans and media about UFC 118, featuring a wide array of topics.  Is BJ Penn "overrated"?  Does Kenny Florian choke in big fights?  Was Demian Maia's BJJ sloppy?  What language is James Toney speaking???  You know...the important things.  Tonight we'll take on the most talked about topic, BJ Penn.

In the lead up to his rematch with Frankie Edgar at UFC 118, I claimed that BJ Penn's legacy was on the line.  Now, let me expand on that thought.  I didn't mean everything BJ has accomplished in MMA would no longer hold value.  The idea that BJ Penn would be reduced to simply being another fighter in the UFC just holds no weight in my mind.  BJ Penn has been in historic fights, is one of the top jiu jitsu practitioners in the sport, and is known for his will to fight at anywhere, any weight.  No matter who you are, what you've written, or accomplished yourself, you cannot take these things away from BJ Penn.

Let's look at things realistically.  BJ Penn was a lightweight before that division really blew up, thus the fights at higher weight classes.  The division itself hasn't even been included in the UFC for long at all, being established for good since UFC 58.  So, obviously, to call BJ Penn the best lightweight ever is not exactly a stretch, the division hasn't had the time to create it's Matt Hughes, Chuck Liddell, or Anderson Silva.  That man was going to be BJ Penn, there wasn't a doubt.  Yet, Frankie Edgar had "The Answer" for Penn, and those plans were laid to waste.

There were only two things BJ Penn lost Saturday night, the fight, and his "aura".  When I said his legacy was on the line, I may have missed the mark.  The FURTHERING of his legacy was on the line, as well as being BJ Penn, the animal.  When Penn took the lightweight title against Joe Stevenson, he looked like an absolute monster.  The blood spewing from Stevenson's forehead, Penn licking it from his gloves...it was crazy...and it gave BJ Penn a fresh new face in the UFC.  Fans now knew BJ as this pace pushing, crazy fighter who just loved to go at it.  This was reinforced when he smashed Sean Sherk, where he was quite vocal about his negative feelings towards the former champion.  Penn finished him in epic fashion, dropping him with a knee, then feeding him an uppercut for good measure.

Penn went on to defend the title against Diego Sanchez and Kenny Florian, looking very impressive in both fights.  Then, UFC 112, Abu Dhabi.  Frankie Edgar squeezed by with a unanimous decision, but thats not the story here.  The story, was that BJ Penn LET Frankie Edgar edge him out.  Penn looked disinterested, as if he lacked that inner monster he unleashed on all his past challengers.  He had the benefit of being able to say he was robbed of the decision though, so no one was quite sure what to think of him.  Was he sick?  Was it the outdoor arena?  

Well, apparently, it wasn't any of that.  Penn was granted his immediate rematch with Edgar, and even knew exactly what Edgar was going to throw at him.  In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Penn made a statement letting us know that he expected Edgar to have improved a little bit, and come in with a very similar game plan.  He even predicted the addition of kicks, and stronger take downs.  

BJ was correct about everything, it was as if he got a letter in the mail from Frankie detailing all he was going to do to him.  Yet, Penn had nothing for him.  He was out boxed, out wrestled, and out worked by the champion.  Once again Penn seemed to be lacking that fire, although he did significantly better than the last fight.  Which is a testament to how good Frankie Edgar looked against him at UFC 118, he beat a better BJ Penn, badly.  

So what did BJ lose?  He lost his chance at redemption, and he most definitely lost his aura.  Now, fans won't be excited to see him go ballistic in the cage, they'll instead be questioning him, wondering if he'll be hungry enough to win.  His aura was what got me pumped to see him fight.  That feeling of uncertainty for his opponent's wellbeing in the cage.  Penn had the chance to secure his title, and take another step forward with his legacy, but it's gone now.  He'll have to once again put on amazing performances, consistently, and finally win the title back if he wants to return to the status of "The Prodigy".  It's not over for Penn, but it is over for that chapter of his career.  No, BJ Penn is not overrated, he is simply the victim of losing a fight.  Leave your shovels in the shed, no need to bury the man yet.