The Hilo kid, B.J. Penn speaks for the first time since his loss to Frankie Edgar at UFC 118 not to a reporter, not in an interview with ESPN or some MMA website, but directly to his fans via BJPenn.com. Penn did not even attend the post-fight press conference.
In his book, Why I Fight, Penn talks about why he started his website in the first place. He said there came a point when he realized the UFC did not always have his best interests at heart and he needed to take control of the way he was portrayed instead of leaving it up to them.
This is why in post-fight interviews when Joe Rogan would put the microphone in his face, Penn would say things like, “If you want to know how I feel, go to BJPenn.com.” That’s what all that was about.
Penn’s message is short, he speaks quietly and is wearing dark sunglasses. He basically just wanted to thank all his fans for their support. If you know anything about B.J. Penn, you know that he has some of the most loyal fans in the world and out of all the fighters, he seems to give back more to the fans than most. He has the largest online community of fans on his website, more than any other professional fighter. He also has the most comprehensive, extensive and sophisticated website of any fighter.
Rumors about Penn’s possible retirement have been floating around, but according to what he says here it sounds like he still wants to fight. He says for now he just wants to spend time with his family and relax and he’s sure “everything will work itself out.” NOTE: you may need to turn the sound up on the video player; Penn is speaking very soft.
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