Former two division UFC champion BJ Penn and Clay Guida are battling this May on the UFC 237 card.
Reports have surfaced stating that this fight could be Penn’s final professional MMA bout, but Guida believes only those close to the fighter should help in that decision.
“It’s kind of hard to believe that (Penn’s on a bad losing streak),” Guida said on The MMA Hour. “It’s hard to think the the guy that was the former two-time champion — lightweight and welterweight — hasn’t won a fight in nine-plus years. It’s pretty incredible. But you know what, getting in the cage with someone like B.J. Penn, it’s an opportunity you can’t turn down. He’s the only one, his camp and his family are the only ones to say if he should be competing or not. That’s totally up to him. I’m not in a position to say that, so I’m accepting the fight and we’re gonna put on a show for the fans.”
Penn is currently in the midst of a six fight losing streak and he hasn’t picked up a win in over eight years.
Despite his opponent being on such a bad losing streak, a fight against Penn was an opportunity that Guida couldn’t refuse.
“First of all, all the incredible fights that B.J. put on,” Guida said. “He paved the way for not just the lightweight division, but pretty much the UFC. He’s done so much for the sport, so much for so many up-and-coming fighters. I’m just so excited and thrilled that they offered a fight like that. I could not turn it down. That’s not our style, we accept every fight with open arms. To compete against a legend like B.J., he’s more than just a legend. He’s one of the creators, he’s a pioneer. He’s ‘The Prodigy’ for a reason. So we’re excited about this matchup.”
UFC 237 takes place on Saturday, May 11 from the Arena Da Baixada in Curitiba, Brazil with Rose Namajunas and Jessica Andrade headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
