BJ says he is down to slow roll his return to WW this time

http://www.mmabay.co.uk/2010/03/23/b-j-penn-confirms-he%E2%80%99s-interested-in-slow-and-progressive-move-up-to-welterweight/

Take a Anderson Silva approach he says.

Awesome!!! I would rather see him fight at 170 now at this stage in his career. There is alot of comp for him and some just plain out great fights at that weight for him.

timthebim wrote:

Awesome!!! I would rather see him fight at 170 now at this stage in his career. There is alot of comp for him and some just plain out great fights at that weight for him.

No doubt, I see nothing but ho hum fights left at 155. Real challenges at 170. Marinovich will help make this a successful campaign.

Would not be surprised to see him eventually challenge GSP at 185.

Although the Silva approach may see him retire b4 really making a go at 205.

BJ VS Daley.

muayjitsu wrote:

BJ VS Daley.

Would BJ actually be compelled to use his ground game outside of an end game scenario?

Depends if BJ's speed translates well to Welterweight. If it does, he eats Daley alive even in a striking fight with technique and speed.

BJ Penn weighing 155 pounds would beat a 180 lbs Paul latex Daley.

Nick Thompson jabbed him to a decision, BJ Penn would jab him to death.

I wanna see BJ do it and fight Serra. I agree that he would out box Daley. Alot of fights at WW for him.

Daley is fast for a WW though, so I doubt BJ would play inside with him too much. Jab, jab, frustrate, hook, takedown.

Serra vs Penn should be his first fight if he has two fights before GSP, otherwise he needs a larger fighter with wrestling, like Fitch or Koscheck.

captain organic wrote:

muayjitsu wrote:

BJ VS Daley.

Would BJ actually be compelled to use his ground game outside of an end game scenario?

Daley was getting out jabbed by Nick Thompson of all people. BJ would give him a good lesson in boxing.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Daley is fast for a WW though, so I doubt BJ would play inside with him too much. Jab, jab, frustrate, hook, takedown.

Serra vs Penn should be his first fight if he has two fights before GSP, otherwise he needs a larger fighter with wrestling, like Fitch or Koscheck.

I was gonna say Kos before and didn't for fear of being called a dumbass. I think that would be a great fight. I would pick BJ, but Kos is a great fight for him.

Personally I think BJ beats everyone decisively at 170 except for Alves and GSP of course.

BJ using his ground game at all against Daley would likely quickly become and end game scenario.

Why Alves? I think of all the top fighters BJ would have the most favorable match up. No matter how big a 70 pounder you are, if you're a striker, you're a bad match for Penn.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Why Alves? I think of all the top fighters BJ would have the most favorable match up. No matter how big a 70 pounder you are, if you're a striker, you're a bad match for Penn.

Outside of GSP at 170 Alves is the most interesting fighter for BJ to face. People forget that Penn uses that same flat-footed boxing stance that Rampage uses. Alves could really bust that lead leg up bad.

Yes and no. Alves has something no one else in the weight class brings to the table in deadly leg kicks. Won't take but a few of those to give BJ a real good reason not to get too close on the feet. Likely though BJ would do what he always does and dictate where the fight goes, or at the very least take no damage while he's not dictating it.

I think that like against GSP, Alves would be too concerned about giving up the takedown to throw many heavy leg kicks. Kicking Rampage and Chuck in the leg is one thing, kicking guys with BJ's speed in the leg and not getting it caught is another. Alves wants to part of the ground game with BJ Penn.

BJ has the skills, speed and ground ability to cause Alves to shut down as he did in the GSP fight. I believe BJ can take him down, and even if not, he would still beat him to the punch standing with his boxing skills.

Alves is very limited in ways he can win this fight, bottom line.

Everyone is pretty limited in how they can win a fight with BJ Penn to be honest.

Not to make too much of the subject, but the jab of thompson does have a much longer range the BJ's. If you're a bigger fighter u should be able to outjab you're opponent. It becomes tougher when you're opponent has the reach.

I would rather see BJ move up to Welterweight permanently. If that happened and Shields moves to the UFC the division would become more stacked.

I am not implying or saying Welterweight isn't already stacked !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Two fighters, one of which couldn't touch the top five doesn't make a stacked division. Truth is if it wasn't for GSP running the table the division would already be considered much more competitive than it is already. Rumble, Semtex, Fitch, Alves, Koscheck, Hardy, Paulo Thiago, Saunders and Ellenburger(not quite top ten talent but tons of talent between those guys). How can you argue that division DOESN'T have depth?

Ali_1748 wrote:

I would rather see BJ move up to Welterweight permanently. If that happened and Shields moves to the UFC the division would become stacked.

The division is already stacked, the problem is the champ is head and shoulders better than everyone else.

BJ moving to 170 would be interesting if he did it right and worked his way up through the ranks. At this point he doesn't deserve an automatic shot at GSP.

LudoCain wrote:

Two fighters, one of which couldn't touch the top five doesn't make a stacked division. Truth is if it wasn't for GSP running the table the division would already be considered much more competitive than it is already. Rumble, Semtex, Fitch, Alves, Koscheck, Hardy, Paulo Thiago, Saunders and Ellenburger(not quite top ten talent but tons of talent between those guys). How can you argue that division DOESN'T have depth?

I never said it didn't have depth.

No, you implied it wasn't already stacked, which would be what depth translates to in a way. On the one hand depth could mean that there are lots of fighters worth watching and worth matching up all across the top 15-20 rankings. It can also mean the 2-10 spots are chock full of guys who on thier best day could probably give one another a run for thier money.

Either way the division has plenty of depth.