B.J. Penn Accepts Rory MacDonald's Challenge

Jun 5, 2012 - "Rory, I accept your challenge!"

And with that, B.J. Penn's brief retirement from MMA came to an end.

A little over 24 hours after welterweight prospect Rory MacDonald said he wanted to fight Penn at UFC 152 on Sept. 22 in Toronto, "The Prodigy" announced on his official Web site that he is also interested in fighting the Canadian.

On Monday's episode of The MMA Hour, the 22-year-old MacDonald explained why he wanted to fight Penn.

"It's more of the idea that he may be retiring, so how many opportunities am l going to get to fight a guy like BJ after he’s gone?" he said. "I think it'd be a great fight. I know I’m going to fight all these guys in the top 10 eventually. I’m a young guy and these guys are going to be around for a long time and I know I’m going to get my shot against all these guys, and maybe I’ll be missing my opportunity if I wait too long with B.J."

According to MacDonald's manager Lex McMahon and BJPenn.com, contracts haven't been signed, but both sides appear hopeful the fight will take place later this year.

Penn announced his retirement from the sport following his UFC 137 loss to Nick Diaz in October. However, he seemed to warm up to the idea of returning in recent weeks.

"I'm enjoying training right now," Penn said last month on The MMA Hour. "You never know what the future holds. If Dana puts something together like 'hey, you want to do this?' You never know. You never know what could happen."

And then Rory MacDonald happened.

Watch MacDonald challenge Penn on Monday's episode of The MMA Hour below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=P17eIHjCSzE

I'd love to see this fight.

Yes, we accepted it :) Time for some fun. Stay tuned!

Should be a great fight. Im a BJ Penn fan for sure but hard to bet against Rory on this one though. Being that in the UFC Penn has beat one man at WW

I'm rooting for BJ, but my money would be on Rory if I had to place a bet.

Dana needs to make this happen though.

Im pumped! Tough fight for BJ to say the least; but from a long time BJ fan "WAR PENN"

Yesssssss!!!!! War penn!!!!!!!!!

Rory will send bj back into retirement just like Diaz did

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Originally Posted by Jeremy Gates

Rory will send bj back into retirement just like Diaz did

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpalC7Hxtio

Penn is my all time favorite fighter. However, I think he should go back to 155, and change camps. Family will take it easy on you. He should go train with Greg Jackson or Mark Dellagrotte. He needs someone that will push him.

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Originally Posted by John Hickman

Penn is my all time favorite fighter. However, I think he should go back to 155, and change camps. Family will take it easy on you. He should go train with Greg Jackson or Mark Dellagrotthe. He needs someone that will push him.

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Couldnt agree more, I love BJ but I want him back to 155 and licking blood off his gloves again. I wonder what caliber his sparring partners are compared to other camps.

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Originally Posted by Nick Powers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpalC7Hxtio

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+100

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Originally Posted by Nosaj

Couldnt agree more, I love BJ but I want him back to 155 and licking blood off his gloves again. I wonder what caliber his sparring partners are compared to other camps.

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Good question, man. His jitz is off the charts, he has good hands and KO power. More than anything, he needs cardio. Some wrestling would be good for him also.

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Originally Posted by Nosaj

Couldnt agree more, I love BJ but I want him back to 155 and licking blood off his gloves again. I wonder what caliber his sparring partners are compared to other camps.

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This is gonna be a great return, just wait and see. I think all of BJ's fans will be very happy :D A big "thank you" from all of us at Team Penn for all the support guys!

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Originally Posted by GMathewsMMA

This is gonna be a great return, just wait and see. I think all of BJ's fans will be very happy :D A big "thank you" from all of us at Team Penn for all the support guys!

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I sure as hell hope that's the case! *coughmarinovichcough*

He needs cardio, true, and I think he is best at 155. But the one thing people forget he needs most: gameplanning. He needs a coach/team that will not only help him build a gameplan, but help him train to actually follow it. BJ is one of my all-time favorite fighters, but he is an extremely stubborn and prideful guy, and so many times (both in wins and losses) he has passed up the easy victory. Basically, someone tags him on the chin, and he refuses to do anything but box from then on. His hands are amazing, but he needs to practice transitioning from strikes to TDs, using the cage offensively (rather than just to stop TDs), and generally winning rounds on points through timing and strategy.

Turn BJ into a gamer instead of a brawler, and I think he still, at this age, has a title within a year.

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Originally Posted by GMathewsMMA

This is gonna be a great return, just wait and see. I think all of BJ's fans will be very happy :D A big "thank you" from all of us at Team Penn for all the support guys!

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Send him over to Crossfit 808 for some nasty conditioning and cross training and I would love to see bj repping some jiu jitsu again. I cant wait to see him back. One of my favs. I know 10p Chi North has BJ's back along with my cousins in Waianae and Makaha Im sure.

I love BJ, I wish he fought every day, however realistically he loses to dominant wrestler style guys. St Pierre, he was under Fitch for the longest time, had trouble with Hughes when Hughes was good. So I have a feeling this will go Rory's way not in any way of finish but a decision.

I also agree that Rory will send BJ back in to retirement, not because of the damage he inflicted, but because he will bore him to death out of mma.

I would love to see BJ beat him up though, especially a submission, man a submission win by BJ would be so delicious yum yum yum...

I think too many people were dumbfounded by the Penn Diaz war.


BJ is going to remind people just why he is known as a legend in the sport.
He knows if he wants to come back, he's going to have to send a message out, and it's not going to be pretty.

I don't think BJ ever had much trouble against Hughes... Except for for the 2nd fight after his rib popped out.
When I first heard this fight I thought Rory might be too big, and too much, but i'm pulling for Penn.