UFC officially releases BJ Penn following string of street fights

B.J. Penn is no longer an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter. That’s according to company president, Dana White, who told Kevin Iole that the promotion has officially parted ways with the former Lightweight and Welterweight champion.

The move comes after White revealed his plans to prohibit Penn from fighting inside the Octagon, thanks to a pair of recent videos showing “The Prodigy” getting knocked flat on his back during a street fight in Hawaii.

See the footage here and here.

A few months prior, Penn was involved in yet another street fight, adding to his list of out-of-the cage incidents. He was in line to make his comeback against Nik Lentz later this year, though many were already questioning UFC’s decision to allow him to keep fighting.

That’s because “The Prodigy” has dropped his last seven fights, and hasn’t scored a win in nine years, proving that his best days are indeed behind him. Still, the promotion was willing to overlook those complaints and allow Penn to have his farewell fight. But now he won’t be afforded that opportunity.

It will be interesting to see if Penn, 40, intends to keep on fighting, and which promotion would be willing to sign him to a contract. Other than a brief stint with K-1 from 2003 to 2005, Penn’s entire 18-year MMA career has been fought inside the Octagon.