Dana White announced today on UFC Tonight on FS1 that Frankie Edgar and BJ Penn would be the coaches for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. Edgar and Penn will fight in their third fight but this time at Featherweight.
In perhaps bigger news, White indicated that Penn has re-signed with the UFC.
Via UFC press release:
“BJ Penn is moving down to 145 lbs. to coach The Ultimate Fighter against Frankie Edgar,” said UFC President Dana White. “BJ really hates the fact that he lost to Frankie Edgar. It’s something that’s been burning deep inside of him for three years now. So he’s moving down to 145 lbs. to not only avenge those defeats, but to try and become the first fighter in UFC history to win titles in three different weight classes.”
Widely considered one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, Penn (16-9-2 in MMA) is one of only two men to win UFC world titles in two separate divisions. The former welterweight and lightweight champion has defeated a Who’s Who of MMA, including UFC champions Matt Hughes, Matt Serra and Sean Sherk. His reign over the UFC’s 155lbs. division was ended in 2010’s Upset of the Year, when he was outpointed by Frankie Edgar. “The Prodigy” not only returns to the UFC but also The Ultimate Fighter, after coaching season five back in 2007.
Filming begins this October.
White indicated that Urijah Faber was thought to be a potential candidate to coach opposite Edgar but could not come to a decision on what weight to fight. White stated that Penn wanted to fight Benson Henderson but it seems that there was a better idea.
Payout Perspective:
Penn was dominated by Rory MacDonald in his last fight in December and there was speculation that he would retire. Penn looked awful in his last showing against MacDonald but it appears as though he wants one last run. The matchup does not make sense for Edgar as he’s beaten Penn in their first two matchups. Moreover, the cut down to 145 may be very difficult for Penn.
Penn is a Hall of Famer and having him as a coach on TUF may draw some viewers. He’s still widely popular and Honolulu (although not his actual hometown) is the #1 market for avid fans of the UFC. While we don’t have the ratings of TUF when he coached opposite Jens Pulver we will try to dig those up.
Does the Edgar-Penn TUF entice you to watch the series?
“Does the Edgar-Penn TUF entice you to watch the series?”
I haven’t watched the series since Brock was turning ‘chicken shit’ into ‘chicken salad’, but given Penn’s entertaining first episode opposite Jens Pulver i might tune in for at least the first one. I still think TUF needs to go and have an entirely new concept replace it.
Given their first fight was controversial and the second fight went the distance and this being a new weight class than both those fights. I think they can reasonably justify this fight. This is not good news for me. I don’t like the fight at all. I was there live for their rematch and Penn was just tp slow due to age and size that he was helpless. He couldn’t land anything, he got hit with everything and takedown constantly. BJ doesn’t have an active guard like he did early in his career. IF he does work hard on the bottom. He only gasses faster. Dropping weight usually isn’t good on a fighters chin. It weakens the body and that combined with quicker fighters at the smaller weight and now the age usually leads to then being able to load up on their shots more, get more shots off, and be more accurate, and increased chance you don’t see it coming. So he will either get owned for a decision or the pillow handed Frankie will tee off on him and get the tko/ko or at least rock him. Which would be unusual for BJ Penn. But I guess it might get Frankie over as a credible contender again.
On youtube. Fox had a video of the announcement but it was blocked out to US viewers. But the title said Penn and Frankie were going to be TUF “JUDGES”. Not coaches. I was actually excited and thought it was a great idea. These fight are exhibition bouts and I was thinking that might allow them to use any judges they wanted and it was a good idea to keep screw jobs to minimum and get big name stars on the show. Actually disappointed they are coaches. IF they are coaches other UFC fighters like the “Comebacks” season. I wouldn’t mind. But not if they are the only known names on the show.
Tuf 5 with pulver and penn was fantastic. although that probably has more to do with the amount of talent on that season. Bj is just going to lose again.
Not to mention it was an all pulver final. Two birds with one stone. i don’t see penn winning the rematch tho.
Ugh, Edgar’s a terrible style match-up for Penn.