UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn is halfway through a six-month suspension for violating the MMA organization’s policy on IV usage.
UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn is halfway through a six-month suspension for violating the MMA organization’s policy on IV usage.
The United States Anti-Doping Agency on Monday issued a statement that the 37-year-old Penn of Hilo had accepted the six-month ban for what he admitted was a “intravenous infusion of a non-prohibited substance.”
Penn’s ineligibility began on March 25, the date on which he admitted his violation to USADA.
According to the release, “An investigation by USADA revealed that the intravenous infusion received by Penn was administered in a volume greater than 50 mL within a 6 hour period. Under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, intravenous infusions in a volume greater than 50 mL within a 6 hour period are prohibited.”
Penn was to have come out of retirement to fight Cole Miller on June 4 before being pulled from the featherweight bout at UFC 199 because of his violation.
Penn, who is eligible to return to the octagon in late September, now has a bigger fight on his mind.
On Sunday, Penn took to twitter and proposed a third fight with Georges St. Pierre, tweeting at the three-time welterweight champion, “if you can make 155 easily, I’m free in November and would love the opportunity to fight you at 155 pounds in New York.”
St. Pierre owns wins again Penn by decision (2006) and technical knockout (2009) and is poised to return to the octagon for first time since November 2013.
The UFC is set to make its debut at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 12.
Penn hasn’t fought since losing to Frankie Edgar in 2014.
“At this point I just want to fight,” Penn told BJpenn.com shortly after the Miller fight was scrapped. “I want to show the world how great I am.”