That was apparently the last straw for UFC President Dana White, who says that Penn will no longer be fighting for the promotion.
“He won’t fight again. That’s it. That’s a wrap,” White told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto (via Simon Head of MMA Junkie). “It’s not even that this was the last straw. I didn’t love him continuing to fight anyway. But when you have the relationship that he and I have, and he’s getting me on the phone begging me for another fight, begging me for another opportunity, it’s hard for me to turn him down. But after what I saw on that video, B.J. needs to focus on his personal life and get himself together before he thinks about fighting again.”
This will put an end to a previously rumored bout between Penn and Nik Lentz, which hadn’t been scheduled at this time.
White says that if Penn needs help getting his life together, all the former UFC star has to do is give the UFC President a call.
“I don’t want to sit here on TV and pick B.J. Penn apart and his life,” White said. “We all know what B.J. Penn needs to do, and hopefully B.J. Penn knows what B.J. Penn needs to do. I’m not going to sit here like I’m his father, or I’m some guy who’s above him and pointing the finger at B.J., and ‘B.J. needs to do this and that.’ What I saw on that video was sad. I love the kid, and I hope he gets his life together. Obviously, the guy calls me and I’m still putting him in fights. If B.J. needed me, all he’s got to do to is pick up the phone and ask. If he does, I’m sure he’ll call. If he doesn’t, I hope he gets his life together.”
Penn has claimed innocence all along in the recent bar fight, via statements by the fighter himself and through a representative.
