BJ "The Prodigy" Penn on "The Ultimate Fighter 5"
BJ "The Prodigy" Penn on "The Ultimate Fighter 5" - © Spike TV
Nicknamed "The Prodigy", BJ Penn is one of the most versatile fighters in the history of mixed martial arts, with aspirations to hold the title in the lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight divisions of The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Introduced to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) in Hilo, Hawaii at the age of 17 by neighbor Tom Callos, BJ "The Prodigy" Penn has been devoted to the art of BJJ ever since, moving to Mountain View, California in 1997 to study under the tutelage Ralph Gracie before being awarded his black belt from Andre Pederneiras in 2000. Soon after receiving this belt, BJ Penn became the first non-Brazilian to win a gold medal in the black belt division of the Mundial World Championships held in Rio de Janeiro.
The UFC quickly took notice, signing BJ Penn in 2001 to fight in their lightweight division. BJ "The Prodigy" Penn quickly ascended through the ranks, gaining a title shot against his "The Ultimate Figher 5" adversary, Jens Pulver. Dropping a difficult decision, BJ Penn never got his rematch with Pulver, who left the UFC soon after their bout. BJ Penn moved up to the welterweight division in 2004 and scored one of the biggest upsets in mixed martial arts (MMA) history when he defeated five time defending champion Matt Hughes. It was BJ Penn's first fight as a welterweight, cementing his reputation as "The Prodigy." BJ Penn left the UFC soon after his victory against Hughes, but returned to the organization last year. In 2007, BJ Penn hopes to avenge his earlier loss to Pulver - as coaches on "The Ultimate Fighter 5" and inside the Octagon on the show's finale.
28-year-old BJ "The Prodigy" Penn currently lives and trains in Hilo, Hawaii.