BJ Penn “The Prodigy”

Photo of BJ Penn
Team BJ Penn's MMA
Age 46
Gender Male
Height 5' 9"
Weight Class Lightweight

BJ Penn is an American professional MMA fighter and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. In 2000, Penn became the first American-born winner of the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship in the black-belt category. Penn is the second fighter in UFC history to win UFC titles in two different weight classes. He won the UFC Welterweight Championship against Matt Hughes by rear naked choke on January 31, 2004 and the UFC Lightweight Championship against Joe Stevenson by rear naked choke on January 19, 2008. Penn has been labeled one of the best lightweight fighters in the world by numerous MMA media outlets. Penn also appeared as a coach on the reality show, The Ultimate Fighter 5.

Professional Career Statistics

Pro Record 16-14-2 (Win-Loss-Draw)
Career Length 7 days
Rounds Fought 83.1
Avg. Fights/Year 1.8
Longest Layoff 2 years, 6 months, 9 days
Quickest Turnaround 1 month, 25 days

Record BreakDown

- KO/TKO SUB DEC
Wins 7 6 3
Losses 4 1 9
Finish Rate 81.3%
Finished Rate 35.7%
Win by Decision Rate 18.8%
Loss by Decision Rate 64.3%
Win by KO Rate 43.8%
Loss by KO Rate 28.6%
Win by SUB Rate 37.5%
Loss by SUB Rate 7.1%
Win Method
Loss Method

Quick Hits

Fastest Win 11
Fastest KO 11
Fastest SUB 01:45
Ave. Rounds (Ws) 1.9
Ave. Length of Fight (Ws) 09:38
Ave. Rounds (Ls) 3.2
Ave. Length of Fight (Ls) 15:48
Finish Rounds
Finished Rounds

Official Professional MMA Fight Record

Date Opponent Weightclass Method Round Time
OFF 05/11/2019 L
(16-13-2) 		Clay Guida
(38-25-0) 		LW
( 155.0 vs. 153.0 ) 		Decision (Unanimous Decision)
UFC 237 		3 05:00
OFF 12/29/2018 L
(16-12-2) 		Ryan Hall
(9-1-0) 		LW
( 156.0 vs. 154.0 ) 		Submission (Heel Hook)
UFC 232: JONES vs. GUSTAFSSON 2 		1 02:46
OFF 06/25/2017 L
(16-11-2) 		Dennis Siver
(24-11-0) 		FTW
( 146.0 vs. 146.0 ) 		Decision (Majority Decision)
UFC Fight Night: Cheisa vs. Lee 		3 05:00
OFF 01/15/2017 L
(16-10-2) 		Yair Rodriguez
(15-5-0) 		FTW
( 146.0 vs. 145.0 ) 		TKO/RSC (Referee Stoppage)
UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Penn 		2 00:24
OFF 07/06/2014 L
(16-9-2) 		Frankie Edgar
(23-11-1) 		FTW
( 145.0 vs. 145.5 ) 		TKO/RSC
UFC TUF 19 Finale: Penn vs Edgar 		3 04:16
OFF 12/08/2012 L
(16-8-2) 		Rory MacDonald
(23-10-1) 		WW
( 168.2 vs. 170.2 ) 		Decision (Unanimous Decision)
UFC on FOX: Henderson vs. Diaz 		3 05:00
OFF 10/29/2011 L
(16-7-2) 		Nick Diaz
(27-10-0) 		WW
( 169.0 vs. 170.0 ) 		Decision (Unanimous Decision)
UFC 137 : Penn vs. Diaz 		3 05:00
OFF 02/27/2011 D
(16-7-1) 		Jon Fitch
(32-8-2) 		WW
( 168.0 vs. 170.0 ) 		Draw (Majority Draw)
UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch 		3 05:00
OFF 11/20/2010 W
(15-7-1) 		Matt Hughes
(43-9-0) 		WW
( 169.0 vs. 169.0 ) 		KO
UFC 123: Jackson vs. Machida 		1 00:21
OFF 08/28/2010 L
(15-6-1) 		Frankie Edgar
(23-11-1) 		LW
( 154.0 vs. 154.0 ) 		Decision (Unanimous Decision)
UFC 118: Edgar vs. Penn 2 		5 05:00
OFF 04/10/2010 L
(15-5-1) 		Frankie Edgar
(23-11-1) 		LW
( 154.0 vs. 1555.0* ) 		Decision (Unanimous Decision)
UFC 112: Invincible 		5 05:00
OFF 12/12/2009 W
(14-5-1) 		Diego Sanchez
(30-14-0) 		LW TKO/RSC (Referee Stoppage from a Cut)
UFC 107: Penn vs Sanchez 		5 02:37
OFF 08/08/2009 W
(13-5-1) 		Kenny Florian
(14-6-0) 		LW
( 155.0 vs. 155.0 ) 		Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
UFC 101 Declaration 		4 03:54
OFF 01/31/2009 L
(13-4-1) 		Georges St-Pierre
(26-2-0) 		WW
( 168.0 vs. 170.0 ) 		TKO/RSC (Referee Stoppage)
UFC 94: St-Pierre vs Penn 2 		4 05:00
OFF 05/24/2008 W
(12-4-1) 		Sean Sherk
(34-4-1) 		LW
( 155.0 vs. 155.0 ) 		TKO/RSC (Didn't Answer the Bell for Round)
UFC 84: Ill Will 		3 05:00
OFF 01/19/2008 W
(11-4-1) 		Joe Stevenson
(33-15-0) 		LW
( 154.0 vs. 154.0 ) 		Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
UFC 80: Rapid Fire 		2 04:02
OFF 06/23/2007 W
(10-4-1) 		Jens Pulver
(27-19-1) 		LW
( 155.5 vs. 152.0 ) 		Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
UFC: The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale 		2 03:12
NRB 09/23/2006 L
(10-3-1) 		Matt Hughes
(43-9-0) 		WW TKO/RSC
UFC 63: Penn vs. Hughes 		3 03:50
OFF 03/04/2006 L
(10-2-1) 		Georges St-Pierre
(26-2-0) 		WW
( 169.0 vs. 170.0 ) 		Decision (Split Decision)
UFC 58: USA vs. Canada 		3 05:00
NRB 07/29/2005 W
(9-2-1) 		Renzo Gracie
(14-7-1) 		Decision (Unanimous Decision)
K-1: World Grand Prix 2005 		3 05:00
NRB 03/26/2005 L
(9-1-1) 		Lyoto Machida
(26-11-0) 		Decision (Unanimous Decision)
K-1: Hero's 		3 05:00
NRB 11/20/2004 W
(8-1-1) 		Rodrigo Gracie
(6-2-1) 		Decision (Unanimous Decision)
Rumble On The Rock 6 		3 05:00
NRB 05/22/2004 W
(7-1-1) 		Duane Ludwig
(21-14-0) 		Submission (Choke)
K-1: MMA Championship Romanex 		1 01:45
OFF 01/31/2004 W
(6-1-1) 		Matt Hughes
(43-9-0) 		WW
( 169.0 vs. 170.0 ) 		Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
UFC 46: Super Natural 		1 04:39
NRB 10/10/2003 W
(5-1-1) 		Takanori Gomi
(37-15-0) 		Submission (Rear naked Choke)
Rumble On The Rock 4 		3 02:38
OFF 02/28/2003 D
(5-1-0) 		Caol Uno
(34-23-5) 		Draw
UFC 41: Onslaught 		5 05:00
NRB 09/27/2002 W
(4-1-0) 		Matt Serra
(11-7-0) 		Decision (Unanimous Decision)
UFC 39: The Warriors Return 		3 05:00
NRB 05/10/2002 W
(3-1-0) 		Paul Creighton
(3-1-0) 		TKO/RSC (Referee Stoppage from Strikes)
UFC 37: High Impact 		2 03:20
NRB 01/11/2002 L
(3-0-0) 		Jens Pulver
(27-19-1) 		LW Decision (Majority Decision)
UFC 35: Throwdown 		5 05:00
NRB 11/02/2001 W
(2-0-0) 		Caol Uno
(34-23-5) 		KO (Punches)
UFC 34: High Voltage 		1 00:11
OFF 06/29/2001 W
(1-0-0) 		Din Thomas
(26-9-0) 		KO (Knee and Punches)
UFC 32: Showdown In The Medowlands 		1 02:42
OFF 05/04/2001 W
(0-0-0) 		Joey Gilbert
(1-3-0) 		TKO/RSC (Referee Stoppage from Punches)
UFC 31: Locked and Loaded 		1 04:58

* Bouts marked with 'OFF' denote results which have been verified by an ABC-recognized athletic commission. Bouts marked with an SB denote bouts overseen by a duly-recognized sanctioning organization. Bouts marked NRB denote non-regulated bouts.

* Bouts marked with an (*) are considered exhibition bouts and do not count towards the fighter's record

* Weights marked with an (*) denote those over the limit for the weight class