There had been some reports linking BJ Penn to the UFC’s first foray at Madison Square Garden in November. Instead, Penn is headed to another mecca of fighting: Manila. ADVERTISING There had been some reports linking BJ Penn to the
There had been some reports linking BJ Penn to the UFC’s first foray at Madison Square Garden in November. Instead, Penn is headed to another mecca of fighting: Manila.
The UFC announced late Sunday night that BJ Penn’s long-awaited and once-delayed return to the octagon will take place Oct. 15 against Ricardo Lamas in the Philippines.
According to multiple websites, Hilo’s Penn will be featured in the main event in a featherweight bout at UFC Fight Night 97.
Lamas (16-5), ranked fourth in the featherweight division, is matched against a fighter from Hawaii for the second bout in a row. The Chicago native is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Oahu’s Max Holloway on June 4 at UFC 199.
Penn (16-10-2) hasn’t had a bout since losing to Frankie Edgar in 2014 at 145 pounds.
After being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2015, the 37-year-old Penn was to have fought at UFC 199, but he was pulled from the card and accepted a six-month suspension for violating the mixed martial art’s organization policy on IV usage.
While Penn is a former UFC champion in two different weight classes (lightweight, welterweight), Lamas got a title shot in 2014, losing to Jose Aldo in a unanimous decision at UFC 169.
In an online poll at bleacherreport.com asking fans whether they thought Penn or Lamas would win the fight, 61.3 percent of the 1,410 votes favored Lamas.
The UFC made its debut in the Philippines last year.
Of course, the most famous fight to take place in the country was the Thrilla in Manila in 1975, the third heavyweight fight matching Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.
