Ross Pearson Says He Wasn't Trying to Call Out BJ Penn (7/26/2010 11:30:20 AM)
Filed under: UFC, NewsThe Ultimate Fighter 9 winner Ross Pearson says when he told Fighters Only magazine that he feels he's a "far better striker" than BJ Penn, he wasn't trying to run his mouth for the free press nor was he necessarily saying he was better than the UFC lightweight great. "I wasn't calling BJ Penn out," Pearson said during a studio appearance on Monday's The MMA Hour. "I don't think I deserve a shot with BJ. I don't think I'm ready for a shot at BJ Penn. I wasn't trying to get publicity or anything like that. I think I'm a fighter at the end of the day and if I was going to fight someone, I look a the fight where I think I would win the fight. And I feel when my times comes I will be able to prove that I am the best striker in the lightweight division."
UFC 118 Fight Card: Edgar vs. Penn, Couture vs. Toney (7/13/2010 9:40:24 AM)
Filed under: UFCThe UFC 118 fight card features Frankie Edgar vs. BJ Penn and Randy Couture vs. James Toney as the two headlining bouts on Aug. 28 at the TD Garden in Boston, Mass. Edgar, who captured the lightweight belt at UFC 112 in a controversial decision, will look to solidify himself as the champion in a rematch against Penn. Also, Toney will make his MMA debut against a Hall of Famer in Couture. The fight card is below.
Marcus Davis vs. Nate Diaz official for August's UFC 118 in Boston (6/23/2010 6:00:00 PM)
A welterweight bout destined for fireworks is now official for the UFC's first trip to Boston. The promotion today confirmed Marcus Davis vs. Nate Diaz for the pay-per-view portion of UFC 118, which takes place Aug. 28 at Boston's TD Garden. A lightweight title rematch between newly crowned champion Frankie Edgar and the recently deposed B.J. Penn headlines. Diaz is expected to be in the clear with the Tennessee Athletic Commission in time to make the fight.
UFC 118 officially announced with Edgar vs. Penn II, Couture vs. Toney and others (6/17/2010 11:55:00 PM)
The Ultimate Fighting Championships' long-expected Boston show is now set with today's official announcement of "UFC 118: Edgar vs. Penn II." The Aug. 28 event takes place at the TD Garden with a headliner and rematch between UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and ex-champ B.J. Penn. Other rumored bouts now official include Randy Couture vs. James Toney, Gray Maynard vs. Kenny Florian, Rousimar Palhares vs. Nate Marquardt and five others.
UFC 118 Official for August 28 in Boston with Edgar vs. Penn 2, Couture vs. Toney, and More (6/17/2010 2:19:07 PM)
The UFC's long awaited Boston debut is finally official, as "UFC 118: Edgar vs. Penn 2" was today announced for August 28 at Boston's TD Garden featuring a main event rematch between lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and former title-holder BJ Penn.
UFC 114's Diego Sanchez done with lightweight but dreaming of rematch with B.J. Penn (5/28/2010 2:20:00 PM)
When Diego Sanchez steps in to the cage against John Hathaway at Saturday night's UFC 114 event in Las Vegas, it will be the first time "Nightmare" has competed at welterweight since a June 2008 win over Luigi Fioravanti. Sanchez made the move back to 170 pounds after a failed lightweight title bid against B.J. Penn at UFC 107 this past December. A winner of the original "The Ultimate Fighter," Sanchez said the return to 170 pounds was always in the cards, and though he's done with lightweight for now, he feels there's unfinished business with Penn.
Diego Sanchez Returning to His Roots (5/27/2010 8:01:00 AM)
Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - Who says you can never go home again? Not Diego Sanchez. So after a whirlwind ride in 2009 that saw him drop from 170 to 155 pounds, defeat Joe Stevenson and Clay Guida, and then go four-plus rounds in a lightweight championship bout with BJ Penn, Sanchez decided that home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, wasn't just where the heart is; it's where his future success lies.
BJ Penn Signs to Rematch Frankie Edgar at UFC 118 on August 28 in Boston (video) (5/15/2010 6:00:29 AM)
Former UFC lightweight champ BJ Penn has signed to rematch 155-pound title-holder Frankie Edgar on August 28 at UFC 118 in Boston, after Edgar edged Penn by unanimous decision at UFC 112 in April to earn the belt. Video of Penn signing his contract for the matchup is after the jump.
Frankie Edgar and BJ Penn Sign Contracts, UFC 118 Rematch Official (5/14/2010 3:10:07 PM)
Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, NewsThe UFC 118 lightweight title rematch between newly crowned champion Frankie Edgar and challenger BJ Penn is signed and sealed. MMA Fighting has confirmed that both fighters have signed bout agreements to do it one more time, this time in the main event of UFC 118 at TD Garden in Boston. The first fight, held at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi, was a razor close affair, ultimately ending with Edgar earning the stunning upset via unanimous decision.
Lightweight champ Edgar still wants Maynard but comfortable with Penn at UFC 118 (5/9/2010 7:00:00 PM)
MONTREAL - UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar did the unthinkable when he outpointed former belt-holder B.J. Penn in their April meeting at UFC 112. Now he says he's ready to do it again. While some MMA fans have expressed their frustration that Penn has been issued an immediate rematch of the massive upset, Edgar said he welcomes the challenge and looks forward to proving the first result was no fluke.
MMA Top 10 Pound-for-Pound: Aldo Up, Edgar In, Penn Out (4/27/2010 8:11:49 AM)
Filed under: UFC, WEC, M-1 Global, Rankings, OverallThe two best featherweights in mixed martial arts over the last several years were Mike Brown and Urijah Faber, and in back-to-back fights the 23-year-old Jose Aldo has now made both Brown and Faber look old and slow. Meanwhile, the best lightweight in mixed martial arts over the last several years was B.J. Penn, and in a five-round decision at UFC 112 Frankie Edgar made Penn look like he might be getting old and slow too. Plenty of people disagreed with me (and the three judges) about Edgar beating Penn, and he certainly wasn't as dominant as Aldo was against Faber on Saturday. But both Aldo and Edgar are now rising on the list of the top pound-for-pound fighters in MMA.
Edgar Confirms Penn Rematch Looks Likely (4/20/2010 1:41:12 AM)
UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar talks to MMAWeekly.com about the potential rematch with B.J. Penn, and the late summer timing of a title defense...
MMAjunkie.com Radio: UFC legend/author B.J. Penn (in studio) and Don Frye (4/16/2010 2:50:00 PM)
Former UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn, one of the biggest names in the sport's history, today joins MMAjunkie.com Radio an in-studio guest to discuss his newly released book, "Why I Fight: The Belt is Just an Accessory," and his pending rematch with title-holder Frankie Edgar. Also joining the show are Don Frye, who takes part in a "Don Fryedays" personal-advice segment, and The Sunday Junkie winner, Ravyn Summers. MMAjunkie.com Radio begins at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's Race & Sports Book. Listen to and watch a video stream of the two-hour show at www.mmajunkie.com/radio.
Health permitting, Boston's UFC 118 could include Edgar vs. Penn II, Florian vs. Maynard (4/15/2010 11:30:00 PM)
The spearhead of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's first trip to Massachusetts is rapidly taking shape. The promotion is already targeting co-headlining fights for an as-yet-unnamed pay-per-view event - potentially UFC 118 - expected to take place Aug. 29 at the TD Garden in Boston, MMAjunkie.com has learned from sources close to the event. A headliner and rematch between new UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and ex-champ B.J. Penn, as well as a co-headliner between top lightweight contender Kenny Florian and Gray Maynard, are both under heavy consideration. However, the health status of a few fighters could affect the plans.
Health permitting, Boston's UFC 118 could include Edgar vs. Penn II, Florian vs. Maynard (4/15/2010 11:30:00 PM)
The spearhead of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's first trip to Massachusetts is rapidly taking shape. The promotion is already targeting co-headlining fights for an as-yet-unnamed pay-per-view event - potentially UFC 118 - expected to take place Aug. 29 at the TD Garden in Boston, MMAjunkie.com has learned from sources close to the event. A headliner and rematch between new UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and ex-champ B.J. Penn, as well as a co-headliner between top lightweight contender Kenny Florian and Gray Maynard, are both under heavy consideration. However, the health status of a few fighters could affect the plans.
Bj Penn Releases Book, Heads Out On Pr Tour (4/15/2010 1:41:26 PM)
Former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion B.J. Penn's autobiography has been released and he is taking time out to meet fans in support of the new release...
Kenny Florian vs. Gray Maynard Expected for August 28 UFC Event in Boston (4/15/2010 12:09:44 PM)
With the UFC planning an immediate rematch between newly-crowned lightweight champ Frankie Edgar and former title-holder BJ Penn, contenders Kenny Florian and Gray Maynard are expected to meet at an August 28 UFC event at the TD Garden in Boston with the next shot at the 155-pound title on the line.
UFC champ Edgar understands Penn's hope for rematch but wants Maynard next (4/13/2010 7:20:00 PM)
Newly minted UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar has one week off to savor his belt, and then it's back to work. There's a target on his back, after all. Not more than two days after Edgar bested B.J. Penn on points this past Saturday at UFC 112, Penn said an immediate rematch is in the works and could take place within three to four months. Gray Maynard also wants the first shot at the new champion. Edgar is not one to make a scene about who's next. But if he has to pick one, it's Maynard.
B.J. Penn says immediate rematch "in the works" with new UFC champ Frankie Edgar (4/13/2010 4:00:00 PM)
Although top contenders Gray Maynard and Kenny Florian are waiting in the wings, former champ B.J. Penn may get the first shot at newly crowned UFC champion Frankie Edgar's lightweight belt. Penn dropped a decision and lost his belt to Edgar in the co-main-event of UFC 112 this past weekend on April 10. However, Penn today said - though nothing is official - that he's spoken with UFC officials and that an immediate rematch is in the works and a real possibility.
On Further Review, B.J. Penn vs. Frankie Edgar Was Really Close (4/13/2010 2:12:13 PM)
Filed under: UFCB.J. Penn's statement on Tuesday morning that he's expecting to get a rematch against Frankie Edgar, the man who defeated him by unanimous decision at UFC 112, motivated me to watch Saturday's Penn-Edgar fight again and see how close it was, whether I changed my mind about who deserved to win, and whether I think an immediate rematch makes sense. Short answer: It was really close, I didn't change my mind, and I'm looking forward to the prospect of Edgar-Penn 2.