For all your hardcore MMA fans, and even those of you who are just getting into MMA, make sure you watch the UFC this Saturday where Hilo’s own BJ Penn will be fighting for the UFC Lightweight Championship Belt against Joe Stevenson.  The fight will be live from Newcastle England, so if you want to catch this fight, you will have to wake up in the morning since it will play live in Hawaii at 10am.

I am probably one of the biggest BJ Penn fans out there, and this title match has me pumped up.  If you just compare records, it definitely looks like BJ is at a disadvantage with a record of 12-4-1 (win-loss-draw), whereas Joe is coming in with an impressive 33-7-0.  BUT, what you must know is the quality of opposition BJ has fought against.  GSP, Matt Hughes, Lyoto Machida, Renzo Gracie, Jens Pulver, and Matt Serra, just to name a few.  Joe hasn’t been fighting easy opponents either, but BJ has always been fighting people in the top tier.

The only way I can see Joe win this one is if he can take BJ down, hold him down, and ground and pound his way to an uneventful decision.  There is no possibly way Joe will outstrike BJ, since you saw BJ outstrike GSP, and quite frankly, manhandled him that first round (just look at GSP’s face after the fight).  It might be a jiu-jitsu clinic when it hits the ground, and Joe will have Marc Laimon in his corner.  But come on, BJ’s defining skill is jiu-jitsu.  I can’t see anybody in the UFC period submitting him.  Period.

Then again, BJ can also lose due to his cardio.  He has been notorious for coming in without training hard and running out of gas quickly, mostly relying on his tremendous skill to pull off a victory.  That was especially seen when he was in the 170lb weight division.  Now he has to train to bring his weight down to 155, which will definitely keep him in shape.  Not only that, but I just feel that he is on a different level now ever since beating Jens Pulver a few months back.  He seems more hungry, more willing to train, and will do whatever it takes to win.

Finally, Hilo’s finest is back.  I guarantee the title will be brought back to Hawaii, and will stay here for as long as BJ is in the UFC.

• BJ Penn does it again.
• BJ Penn to Fight This Saturday
• Hilo’s Own BJ Penn on Spike TV’s Reality Series

               
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