While two belts would be nice, B.J. Penn just focused on win at UFC 94
With a UFC 94 main-event showdown between two of the world's top pound-for-pound fighters just days away, UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn (13-4-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC) isn't focused on the opportunity to become the organization's first dual belt-holder.
"The Prodigy" recently told MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com) he just wants to beat UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (17-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC).
"[Holding two belts] is a very important accomplishment, but as of now all I'm thinking about is fighting St. Pierre and beating St. Pierre," Penn said. "If I was fighting a lesser opponent and I was going to have the same accomplishment, what would be the point?"
The fight between the two current belt-holders represents a rematch of an epic 2006 bout. While Penn dropped that bout in a razor-thin split decision, Penn said he won't be relying too much on the experience during Saturday's UFC 94 bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
"From that fight I realized that Georges has the will to prepare for a fight," Penn said. "With that said, I also have the will to prepare for a fight.
"Honestly, I don't even remember much about that fight. I remember fighting, but as far the techniques go, we're two way different technical fighters. We're going to find out on Jan. 31 where we match up in what areas. Besides that, I'm just pumped for that day. I'm going to kick his ass."
Penn has fought from lightweight all the way up to heavyweight in his eight-year career. But Saturday night's bout with St. Pierre will mark Penn's first trip outside of the lightweight division since a 2006 battle with Matt Hughes. Despite critical depictions of his training process on the Spike TV-broadcast, Penn said his body is well-prepared for the bout.
"I'm at 171 pounds right now," Penn said. "I've been here for about three weeks. This is it. This is my weight, 170 pounds. That's what I am.
"I'm not a 187-pounder trying to make 170 pounds. I'm not a true 155-pounder. I am a 165 to 170-pounder. This is me. This is what I live at."
While many MMA analysts believe Penn performs best when competing at 155 pounds, the 30-year-old said he actually feels most comfortable at welterweight.
"I don't feel I'm at my best at 155 (pounds) because I've got to cut all that water the week of the fight," Penn said. "I don't think that you perform at your best when you cut that kind of weight. St. Pierre says that he cuts 17 pounds the week of the fight, and that guy standing across the ring from him also cut 17 pounds the week of the fight. I'm going to be able to push longer, harder and stronger than he can. I think that will play into my advantage, I believe."
With both fighters bringing a well-rounded, elite-level set of skills to the cage, Penn believes it is the heart of the fighters that will prove the difference.
"Honestly, from the get go, Georges is so good at every area I'm just going to start attacking his heart right off the bat," Penn said. "I'm just going to put him into a fight. We're going to start fighting and we're going to see what's happening.
"It's not like, 'Oh, I'm going to kick his leg because he doesn't think I'm going to kick,' or, 'I'm going to punch and dominate him with my jab.' It's not one of those fights. I'm going to go and I'm going to take this guy out. And when the fight's done, it's done."
Penn's critics have cited the lack of pressure the Hawaiian resident may face in the bout considering his 155-pound belt is not on the line. The lightweight champ scoffed at the notion a loss would have a lessened impact on his career.
"Whoever thinks like that just doesn't know who I am and doesn't know how I think," Penn said. "You think I'm going to go out there to lose a fight and then go home and be like, 'Well, hey, that's great. I still got my lightweight title.' I'm not a pussy. I'm not a [expletive].
"When I'm out there, I'm there to fight and give everything I've got. I'm not one of those kind of guys. That's something a coward would think and a coward would do, and that's not me."
Billed as the "most anticipated rematch in UFC history," the clash between Penn and St. Pierre may very well be exactly that. And while Penn declined to offer his entire gameplan, "The Prodigy" feels confident in predicting the final result.
"I don't know how I'm going to win this fight, but I know I'm going to win."