Not many fighters inspire debate around the water cooler quite like B.J. Penn, a man whose legacy only seems to grow more complicated with each passing day.
One of the sport’s most gifted, charismatic and accomplished competitors, Penn’s considerable exploits inside the cage have been overshadowed by his lack of commitment to training, inconsistent performance, run-ins with the law, bizarre behavior and a precipitous late-career plunge that saw him suffer seven consecutive defeats between Oct. 29, 2011 and May 11, 2019. While the Hawaiian has yet to formally announce his retirement from mixed martial arts, he turned 42 in December and has not fought since he lost a unanimous decision to Clay Guida at UFC 237 nearly two years ago.