According to the UFC, Penn was flagged for the use of an IV “in excess of 50 mL in a six-hour period” during a USADA out-of-competition drug test taken in March. Apparently, Penn “voluntarily disclosed” the IV usage and said he was unaware that the substance was entirely banned by USADA.

Penn stated,

The rule for IV usage had changed since my last fight in the UFC and was unaware of the change and voluntarily disclosed the information to USADA. I had no idea that IV use was banned 365 days a year.

At no time in my career in martial arts have I ever doped and anticipate all test results from USADA will come back clean and will be working with the UFC to get the matter cleared up and return to fight as soon as possible.

Penn, 37, a former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion initially retired in July 2014 after competing against Frankie Edgar at The Ultimate Fighter 19 Finale. He lost via third-round TKO. Talk about Penn returning to MMA was first reported in February.

At the moment, the UFC brass is currently looking for an opponent for Miller. UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Bisping 2 takes place on June 4 at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

Official UFC Statement

The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) informed BJ Penn of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation. Penn disclosed the usage of a prohibited method – the use of an IV in excess of 50 ML in a six-hour period – during a March 25, 2016, out-of-competition sample collection. In accordance with the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, Penn has received a provisional suspension, and has been removed from his scheduled bout against Cole Miller on June 4 in Los Angeles.

UFC will announce a replacement opponent for Miller shortly, and additional information will be provided by USADA and UFC at the appropriate time as the process involving Penn moves forward.

Its official MMA hounds! The legendary B.J. Penn will make his return inside the Octagon in the very near future. But for those unaware, Penn was initially slated to return out of retirement earlier this year, however, his return was delayed due to a string of sexual assault allegations, which surfaced not too long ago.

According to the UFC on Thursday, no actions, civil or criminal, have been taken against the former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion involving the allegations after an investigation was conducted by a Las Vegas-based law firm, Campbell & Williams.

The UFC stated,

Following a review of the matter by Campbell & Williams, a Las Vegas-based law firm hired by UFC to evaluate the situation, UFC has been informed that no criminal or civil charges have been filed against Penn to date, nor has any action been taken by local law enforcement. It should be noted that UFC reserves the right to reevaluate the matter should new information be made available.

Penn, 37, is scheduled to meet German’s Dennis Siver in a featherweight bout at UFC 199 at the Forum in Inglewood, California on June 4, 2016. The main event will feature a title bout between Luke Rockhold and Chris Weidman.

You know what I don’t miss? I don’t miss a three-month training camp. I don’t miss fight week. But I do miss being the baddest man on the planet. – BJ Penn via MMA Fighting

Two-time, two-division UFC world champion will be honored in the Modern Era category

The final 2015 inductee for the reinvigorated UFC Hall of Fame will be legendary two-time, two-division UFC World Champion BJ Penn. Known as “The Prodigy” throughout his amazing 13-year, 16-10-2 professional mixed martial arts career, Penn takes his place in the Modern Era category of the UFC Hall of Fame.

The Modern Era category recognizes great fighters who turned professional on or after November 17, 2000, when the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) were created and widely adopted. Penn turned professional on May 4, 2001, at UFC 31.

The announcement was made moments ago on the UFC 187 Prelims broadcast on FOX Sports 1. Penn’s formal induction will take place at a gala event on Saturday, July 11, at the UFC Fan Expo, during the UFC’s annual International Fight Week in Las Vegas.

UFC President Dana White said:

It is our honor to induct BJ Penn into the UFC Hall of Fame. He was one of those stars who helped build the UFC. When we bought this company, we were told no-one cared about lightweights. BJ Penn not only made people care, he was one of the biggest draws in UFC history. And what he accomplished inside the Octagon speaks for itself – he is one of only two people to win two UFC titles in two different divisions and he beat a who’s who of his era. He is a legend and a no-brainer for the UFC Hall of Fame.

Born Jay Dee Penn on December 13, 1978, “Baby Jay” is believed to have earned a legitimate Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt faster than any practitioner of the martial art. He was awarded the honor by André Pederneiras in 2000, aged 20, less than three years after taking his first lesson. Penn validated his black belt status just weeks later, when he became the first American to ever win the black belt division of the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships.

Because of the speed of Penn’s achievements in BJJ, he was dubbed “The Prodigy” – a moniker that he carried into his MMA – and UFC – debut against Joey Gilbert at UFC 31 on May 4, 2001.

“Nothing personal, I just want the belt,” Penn said after scoring a first round knockout.

The first UFC championship came at welterweight, when he choked out the previously unstoppable Matt Hughes in the opening round of their UFC 46, January 2004, clash. However, Penn never defended the title, spending the next two years competing outside of the UFC organization.

A truly fearless competitor who’s self-belief knew few borders, Penn defeated both Renzo Gracie and Rodrigo Gracie in middleweight bouts outside of the UFC; he even took a 225-pound Lyoto Machida the distance in a heavyweight fight.

Whether inside or outside the Octagon, Penn fought the best of the best and his scalp list includes luminaries like Caol Uno, Matt Serra, and Takanori Gomi.

But it was his achievements in the UFC lightweight classes that Penn cemented his legacy as one of the very best of all time.

Upon returning to the division in 2007, Penn embarked on a three year reign of terror. He swiftly avenged his first career loss to Jens Pulver before winning the vacant 155-pound title with a one-sided beatdown of Joe Stevenson at UFC 80. In winning the title, Penn became only the second man to hold two UFC titles in two weight divisions. He then defended the belt against former champion Sean Sherk, and surging contenders Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez in impressive fashion before finally losing the title to Frankie Edgar in 2010.

Along the way Penn also attempted to win back the UFC welterweight title, in a rematch of a very close and controversial fight against Georges St-Pierre. The UFC 94, January 2009, main event was a rare UFC champion vs. UFC champion superfight and one of the biggest fights of the decade.

Penn’s final win came in November 2010, at UFC 123, when he knocked out his great rival-turned-friend Matt Hughes in 21 seconds, winning their trilogy 2-1. Penn last competed one year ago, losing a somber fight against nemesis Frankie Edgar at International Fight Week 2014.

Now, 12 months later, Penn will be given the send-off his legendary career deserves.

What made Penn a perpetual pound-for-pounder was his unique combination of high-level BJJ, takedown defense, remarkable balance, and his supreme boxing skills. Even the most experience fight commentators marveled at the Hawaiian’s skill set; UFC broadcaster Joe Rogan once opinioned that Penn had more flexibility and dexterity in his legs than most good fighters had in their arms and, in 2008, famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach said Penn was the best boxer in MMA “by far.”

According to FightMetric, the official statistics provider to the UFC, Penn spent a total of 5-hours, 18-minues, and 7-seconds in the UFC Octagon, the second most of any UFC fighter. He landed 1,736 strikes in the UFC, the fourth most in organization history, with 1,215 of them setting a lightweight division record. He landed with over half of his power shots and his takedown completion rate of 66.7% remains the most accurate in the UFC lightweight division.

Penn joins Pioneer Era inductee Bas Rutten, Fight inductee Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg II and Contributor Jeff Blatnick to complete to 2015 UFC Hall of Fame class.

Source: UFC

Rock Hard \m/

B.J. Penn, a retired American professional mixed martial artist from Hawaii who fought in the UFC for numerous years has gotten himself into serious trouble over the weekend. Enough trouble that got “The Prodigy” arrested on Sunday morning in Maui for second-degree assault.

According to a Hawaiian newspaper, Penn got into an argument with a friend (Kuuipo Mokiao) of his inside Kauhale’s Bar, which then escalated into a fight outside in the parking lot. It appears Penn struck the 37-year-old in the face with a knee, which fractured Mokiao’s left eye socket.

Sources said that Kuuipo Mokiao told investigators that he pushed Penn to stop him from picking a fight with people inside Kauhale’s Bar in Kihei. The retired UFC champ then allegedly challenged him to a fight.

Mokiao told police that once they headed into the parking lot, Penn suddenly punched him in the face, according to sources. The Kahului man also said that while was defending himself; Penn kneed him in the forehead.

Penn was later arrested by Hawaiian police at a hotel about two miles away from the incident that took place at the bar. Mokiao was reportedly taken to the emergency room at Maui Memorial Medical Center for his injury.

Penn only suffered a small cut to his right eye.

As far as Mike Dolce goes; I would never hire him again for anything. – Former UFC Welterweight Champion B.J. Penn

It was an extremely exciting weekend for MMA fans because the UFC put on a stacked fight card on Saturday that featured two title bouts, and on Sunday, B.J. Penn squared off with former Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar for the third time inside the Octagon.

Saturday night was truly unforgettable, especially after Ronda Rousey dominated Alexis Davis with a knockout in less than 16 seconds. However, “The Prodigy’s” performance on Sunday night was far from anything that he showcased in his prime, he was man handled again by Edgar in every round this time and lost the bout in the third by TKO.

In the post-fight presser, Penn officially announced his retirement:

This is the end, I’m thinking to myself, why did you step back into the Octagon after the beating that Rory MacDonald gave you? And the reason is, I really needed to find out, if I didn’t make this night happen for myself, I would have always wondered, I would have always went back and forth on whether I should go back in. I needed some closure.

Penn is to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame following his retirement from the sport.

This is B.J. Penn’s last fight possibly. If he wins, we’ll see what he does from there, but if he loses, I will actually push for him to retire. – UFC President Dana White

But before that official fight goes down inside the Octagon next month, you first need to guess who wins between Lee and Penn? And how? Drop your answer off in the comment section right below.

Enjoy the clip!