BJ Penn recently discussed on his blog why he no longer believes all the hype surrounding his fighting techniques and career. As he comes close to his match-up with Nick Diaz this weekend at UFC 137, the former lightweight and welterweight speaks on no longer feeling the need to talk smack or feed into the hype:
“I got here to Las Vegas and am ready for my UFC 137 main event fight with Nick Diaz.
He’s a great fighter who I respect and I like. Nick and his brother Nate actually came out to help me train for my UFC 101 match against Kenny Florian. We’re not close friends, but both of the Diaz brothers have really helped me out in the past and we have hung out. This isn’t a fight either of us would have asked for, but we are both at the top of the division and there’s no one else for us to fight.
I’ve not even read part 1 of this Yahoo! blog, I sent it over via email and I haven’t seen it published on the site and I won’t read this one either once I am done doing it.
I won’t read anything, no interviews or previews. I won’t watch the Countdown TV preview show, nothing, because I want to stay away from the hype for the rest of my career.
There’s nothing wrong with talking smack and backing it up. Muhammad Ali did it and I did it in my career, but honestly I feel like I am too old now for that. As you get older, have a family of your own, talking about opponents stops being something you want to do or be part of.
I want my energy to be on training and winning, not on getting too emotional before the fight.
I’m happy with what I accomplished. How my career has gone is a little different to how I imagined it going, that’s for sure. .
I want more big wins and hopefully a title shot and to win another title. But I’m also older and realize sometimes getting that title is timing.
If I end up losing to Nick Diaz, and losing other fights, I will be happy with my MMA career. But I feel I have a fresh start now, a new mentality and that I am adding things to my game which I didn’t have before. I’m looking forward to this fight, and the next, and the next and the one after that.”