Dana White Expects BJ Penn Will Retire After Loss To Rory MacDonald

BJ Penn was unable to pull off a triumphant return to glory against the odds in his much-hyped fight with Rory MacDonald at ‘UFC On FOX 5’ and instead was subject to a one-sided beatdown that’s lead UFC president Dana White to the conclusion that he should hang up his gloves.

“BJ is a warrior,” White declared to Ariel Helwani on FUEL TV’s post-fight show. “Talk about a guy who doesn’t give up, doesn’t quit, he just keeps coming after you. I have so much respect for BJ. I always have, even through the good times and the bad times, and I’d like to see him retire.

“He’s got plenty of money, he’s got a great family who loves him and he’s got babies, a beautiful wife … He has nothing left to prove to anybody, and everybody loves him. You heard the arena tonight. I’d like to see BJ retire.”

Penn essentially retired after a tough loss to Nick Diaz last year and it’s hard to imagine that anything that occurred last night will have encouraged him to continue fighting on this time around, so I suspect White’s hunch is correct.

He’s a proud man though and may not be able to rest easy on the back of two consecutive losses like this.  I he does ever return I just hope White forces him to do so at his natural weight of 155lbs.

Ross Cole
Ross launched MMA Insight (previously FightOfTheNight.com) in 2009 as a way to channel his passion for the sport of mixed martial arts. He's since penned countless news stories and live fight reports along with dozens of feature articles as the lead writer for the site, reaching millions of fans in the process.