BJ Penn Sorta Gets His Way

By Akela Talamasca on August 20th, 2009

vaseline The Nevada State Athletic Commission approved a new rule for all MMA bouts yesterday concerning the use of foreign substances applied to a fighter’s body. Dubbed the “BJ Penn” rule, it prohibits fighters from using slippery salves or other such fluids that might give them an unfair advantage against fighters who prefer to grapple.

This, of course, is a direct reference to the infamous bout between BJ Penn and Georges St. Pierre in UFC 94, where Penn insisted that his defeat was due mainly to St. Pierre’s body being greased up with Vaseline prior to the fight. It could take up to 30 days for this ruling to take effect.

I’ll have to go back and re-watch that fight to see if Penn really has a claim, which at the time I put off to post-loss whining. As I recall, it wasn’t St. Pierre’s greasiness that led to his victory, it was that St. Pierre is in incredible shape, and he kept pushing the pace. Penn just looked like he gassed out. Don’t get me wrong, I think this is a great addition to the rules; I just wonder why it’s taken so long to arrive.

It’s academic now anyway; the new rule is going to go through. Will this mean yet another attempt at revenge for Penn? He’d have to gain weight for that bracket yet again, after coming back down for the Florian fight. That sort of manipulation can’t be good for his body. But if he’s serious about this, here’s his perfect chance for redemption.