B.J. Penn’s nearly 20-year MMA career is over in the UFC, according to organization president Dana White.
White told ESPN on Thursday that Penn, a UFC Hall of Famer and two-division world champion, will not compete again in the mixed martial arts organization. Penn was set to face Nik Lentz later this year.
TMZ posted videos online showing Penn in an altercation getting knocked down by a man outside of a bar, and a second video with Penn throwing punches at the same man.
“He won’t fight again. That’s it,” White told ESPN. “After what I saw in that video, B.J. needs to, you know, he needs to focus on his personal life before he thinks about fighting.”
Penn told TSN (The Sports Network) that he tried to walk away from the situation but was attacked and had to defend himself.
“I’m over there and an acquaintance of mine, he gets mad about something, you know something was said or it was an old past thing and then he wants to fight about it,” Penn said. “I was like, ‘No, no, I don’t want to fight. We’re friends. Everything is cool. He even walks outside and I’m thinking, ‘This is silly. I’m going to go get him, calm him down and get him to come back inside and enjoy the concert. We’ve got some other friends there.”
Penn said he attempted to give the guy a hug but was hit in the face twice. When Penn went in for another hug, he said he was hit a couple more times.
A text message was sent to a Penn family representative, but there was no reply for comment.
Penn has lost his last seven fights in the UFC and turns 41 in December.
TMZ also posted a video of Penn in a bar fight outside of a strip club on Oahu in June.
Penn has not been charged in either of the two incidents.