The Ultimate Fighting Championship has shelved plans for a return of former two-division champion BJ Penn until allegations of sexual assault have been investigated, the mixed martial arts organization said Thursday.
A report was filed Tuesday with the Delaware County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Department alleging a sexual assault occurred Aug. 31, 2015, “in the state of Hawaii.”
“This report will be referred to the Hilo, Hawaii Police Department,” the report states.
Penn was not named in the portion of the report made public and a spokeswoman for the Ohio law enforcement agency said she couldn’t name the alleged assailant.
A former writer for BJPenn.com, Pedro Alex Carrasco, wrote Tuesday on Twitter that his girlfriend, a 29-year-old woman now living in Ohio, is the complainant. Carrasco alleged the 37-year-old Penn, who lives in Hilo, sexually assaulted her.
Penn has not been arrested for or charged with any criminal wrongdoing in connection with the report and a Hawaii Police Department spokeswoman said Thursday afternoon she could not comment on whether the report was received from Ohio or whether a a local investigation has been opened into the allegations.
The statement from the Las Vegas-based UFC said the organization “is aware” of the allegations and “requires all athletes who compete in the UFC to act in an ethical and responsible manner, as detailed in the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy.”
The statement continues: “UFC will not tolerate violations of the policy. Every athlete is deserving of proper review and this situation, as with any serious allegation, will be investigated by an independent party and thoroughly reviewed by the UFC.
“In light of the serious allegations, UFC has postponed plans to book Penn for an upcoming bout until more details are determined.”
Penn (16-10-2), a former UFC welterweight and lightweight champion, was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame last July. He announced last month he intends to return from a retirement that began in July 2014 after losing a third time to Frankie Edgar. As of late, he had been training at Jackson Wink MMA in Albuquerque, N.M., and said he’d like to fight on the UFC 197 card on April 23 in Las Vegas.
The UFC statement said it will cooperate with any law enforcement investigation and notes Penn “is considered innocent until proven guilty and UFC is not prejudging this matter.”
Penn has had previous scrapes with the law.
In January 2015, he was arrested for second-degree assault after a fight in the parking lot of a Maui bar but wasn’t charged.
And in 2005, Penn was indicted for first-degree assault for punching a police officer outside of a Waikiki nightclub. A judge deferred his no-contest plea to third-degree assault, no jail time was imposed and the conviction was erased from the record.
A family source told the Tribune-Herald on Thursday the fighter will release a statement soon.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
