UFC
UFC 118 PREVIEW: B.J. Penn ready to go on a run starting with Frankie Edgar, doesn't want the sport to pass him by
Aug 20, 2010 - 1:34:05 PM UFC 118 PREVIEW: B.J. Penn ready to go on a run starting with Frankie Edgar, doesn't want the sport to pass him by

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

B.J. Penn's loss to Frankie Edgar at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi this past April was his first in the lightweight division in over eight years. He was the dominant fighter at 155 lb., holding a deadlock on the top spot in the division since making the move back down after a few years of fights at higher weights. But the loss forced Penn to look at his career and his spot in the sport, and he thinks it worked out for the better.

"Every time you get a loss, you take a different path and get back on your journey," Penn said on a pre-fight teleconference on Thursday ahead of his UFC 118 rematch with Edgar. "I believe if I had won that fight I would have changed nothing about my game.

"I definitely think this [is the prime of my career]. I'm 31. I have tons of experience. I'm not looking past Frankie, but I think I'm about to go on a run."

Penn has always received criticism for his training and seeming lack of motivation at times in the sport, but he says the loss to Edgar has opened his eyes to the fact that, at only 31 years old, he still wants to compete.

"The loss to Frankie made me step back and realize I want to fight as much as I can," Penn said. "After the fight with Frankie, I want to fight the next month or the next week.

"I don't know if my biological clock is ticking or what, but I want to fight as much as possible. I want to make a push to be a true fighter, and I think I could be very active."

But that's not all. Penn doesn't just want to stay active, he wants to continue to prove he's one of the best in the sport and wants to improve further.

"I'm the guy that doesn't want to let the sport pass me by," he said. "I want to stay at the forefront of this whole thing.

"I'm constantly thinking about how to tweak little areas to keep up with these young kids."

He'll have a chance to start on this new "run" next Saturday, as UFC 118 comes live on pay-per-view to the TD Garden in Boston, Mass.

Penick's Analysis: It seems like the Edgar fight may have been a catalyst for Penn to realize that he can't just coast on his talent and ability. It's suited him just fine in many fights, but constantly improving and evolving is necessary to continue to keep his spot as one of the best fighters in the world. Tweaks are needed from his UFC 112 performance, and he needs to find a way to be more effective against Edgar in the rematch. Where he goes from there is up to him, and whether he moves to welterweight with a win or loss next Saturday, "The Prodigy" will continue to be a fighter always worth watching.

[B.J. Penn art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]