Former UFC king BJ Penn puts premium on training

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MANILA, Philippines—BJ Penn knows that a diverse set of mixed martial arts weapons is useless unless they are honed off the octagon.

The former two-division champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship learned that lesson the hard way in a recent defeat to Nick Diaz in UFC 137 over a month ago.

And Penn, 32, who once held the welterweight and lightweight crowns of the planet’s most prestigious brawl show, wants to share that bitter experience with Filipinos who follow the fast-growing sport.

“Skills don’t win fights; it’s training that wins fights,” said Penn during a media presentation Tuesday sponsored by Balls, the sports channel of giant network ABS-CBN.
“I’d made mistakes preparing for a fight in the past simply because I didn’t try as hard as I should.”

Penn, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belter and boxing specialist, is in town to help boost the UFC brand and increase his following after being tagged as a villain in the MMA world.

“All the fights, whether I win or lose, are tough because you have to go into training camp,” said Penn, known for his submission and stand-up skills.

After 15 years in martial arts and 26 fights (16 wins, 8 losses, 2 draws) later, Penn is aware that his time to hang up his gloves is close at hand.

But the loud clamor to continue his colorful octagon stint hasn’t stopped.