Joe Rogan identifies the top lightweight combatant ever, inviting him for a meeting with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Bumpin' Up Your Bonus:
Joe Rogan, a legend in the UFC commentator world, shared his thoughts on who he thinks the greatest lightweight of all time is, and it's none other than BJ Penn. Here's the scoop:
"At his prime, Penn was trainin' with Marv Marinovich, and his methods were far from normal - we're talkin' plyometrics, explosive exercises, sprints. Marinovich was all about insane endurance, and Penn had that in spades. He could already fight - he's a champ, he ain't gonna forget that. But with that gas tank, he was undefeatable... Folks compare Habib [Nurmagomedov] to the greatest - maybe so. But Penn against Stevenson, Sherk, or Sanchez? He could take 'em all down."
Rogan also debated how Nurmagomedov might fare against Penn's skills: "He'd probably fight like Georges St-Pierre. But the size difference is key: Penn's a true lightweight, while Georges is a large welterweight with excellent wrestling and grappling. There was that Vaseline scandal - Georges was slick in that fight. And if you can't get a hold of Penn, especially when he's on his back, you're in deep doo-doo. He'd twist his legs into the lotus position without even using his hands - that's some insanely flexible stuff. Lay a finger on him, and you're done for."
Fun fact for you MMA heads: Penn and GSP duked it out twice in the octagon back in '06 and '09, with the Canadian comin' out on top both times, once by split decision, and the other by TKO due to the corner stoppage.
Now, let's talk numbers: Penn had some killer wins in the lightweight division, subminim' Jonny Stevenson, beatin' Kenny Florian, and sendin' Diego Sanchez packin'. On the other hand, Nurmagomedov made his mark with wins against Rafael dos Anjos, Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje, never losin' in the lightweight division.
Long story short, both Penn and Nurmagomedov were legends in the lightweight division, but their styles and eras were different. Penn was known for his all-around skills, includin' Brazilian jiu-jitsu and strikin', while Nurmagomedov was famous for his wrestlin' and grapplin' prowess. Nurmagomedov's undefeated record and dominance in his era stand out, while Penn's career was marked by a mix of title reigns and losses across multiple weight classes.
Bookmakers, considering the discussion about BJ Penn's dominance in the lightweight division and Khabib Nurmagomedov's undefeated run, might have mixed-martial-arts betting odds that favor Nurmagomedov in a hypothetical match-up between the two. However, the different eras and varied skill sets of both fighters offer intriguing possibilities for sports enthusiasts.
