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Sport

28th Jan 2016

Chad Mendes really doesn’t want to see BJ Penn return to fighting

Just no

Ben Kiely

Chad Mendes thinks enough is enough for BJ Penn the professional fighter.

Penn, the former lightweight and welterweight champion, recently announced his intention to return to the Octagon – a surprise to a lot of people who thought that his vicious TKO loss to Frankie Edgar at the TUF 19 Finale was the last time he’d be seen fighting.

After he announced his retirement following the loss, it seemed like it was definite.

However, Penn is adamant that he is coming back, and has claimed that he has already agreed on an opponent for his featherweight return at UFC 196.

Fellow featherweight, Chad Mendes voiced his disapproval of Penn’s decision to return on the “You’re Welcome with Chael Sonnen” podcast.

“No, B.J. Just no. I think for a lot of people that have been the man for as long as he has – and I’m not saying this like I know him, and this is all speculation – but I think it’s hard for a lot of these people to let go. Some time passes, and it’s not like he’s being forgot, but he probably doesn’t get quite the attention he does when he’s in the Octagon.”

UFC 127: Penn v Fitch

“Money” believes that Penn doesn’t have any financial issues in his retirement and that he only wants to get back into the cage because he misses the thrill of the sport. He feels this a bad idea on Penn’s part and that he has nothing left to prove.

“I can’t imagine there are any financial issues, but you never know, but (expletive), he had a run. He did great. He’s a legend in the sport. There’s got to be a time.”

“More than anything I just don’t want to see the guy get hurt. He’s getting older, and this is a brutal sport – not just in the fights, but through training camps. I feel like we get more damage done in training camps than most of the time when you step in the Octagon. If it’s that time, it’s that time.”

These comments only confirm what everyone pretty much already knew. We’re never going to see Mendes v Penn.