BJ Penn Accused Of Sexual Abuse, Drug Use In Restraining Order

MMA legend BJ Penn is facing some concerning abuse allegations.

According to a report from MMA Junkie, Penn’s estranged partner, Shealen Uaiwa, filed for a temporary restraining order and petition for an order of protection in Hawaii Family Court last fall. In it, she alleged the UFC Hall of Famer abused her throughout their 10-year relationship. The order was extended following a court hearing in February and now lasts until October 8, 2021.

Uaiwa alleged that the former UFC champ verbally abused her in the presence of their two children and her mother. He even threatened to kill her family, she alleged. Finally, she claimed he sexually abused her in a written statement attached to the protective order obtained by MMA Junkie in a public records request.

Concerning Allegations

Penn is accused of some seriously disturbing behavior. Uaiwa said she only detailed recent incidents over the last three years. Uaiwa claimed she did not turn Penn into police “because of his name, reputation, the control he has had over my life and I was scared.”

She said she feared for her children’s lives:

“I feel fearful for my safety and my childrens (sic) life, and for the influence he has over my children.”

While Penn did not comment on the subject when contacted by MMA Junkie, his attorney John Schmidtke Jr. called the report ‘incomplete information.’ He wondered why the courts had released the report as it was not public knowledge. The attorney claimed he could not comment on the allegations because they involve children. Online court records showed that Penn’s attorneys attempted to have the court records sealed but were turned down.

Children Allegedly Involved

Uaiwa filed the order on October 9. It was two days after she alleged that Penn got violent and “came up to the car threatening my mother that he will kick her dumb (expletive) ass out of her house, he was harashing (sic) me and my mother with verbal abuse, calling us (expletive), manipulators, stealers. I was trying to get out of the driveway and he was making it hard like he wanted to attack me and my mom through the window. My children witnessed this incident.”

During the alleged incident, she said Penn told her, “because your (sic) not a man you think you can’t get knocked the (expletive) out.” She also claimed Penn threatened to kill her brother and her whole family. She alleged he tried to wrestle her and take her phone. On Oct. 5, their 11-year old daughter allegedly said she would “rather jump off our balcony at our home than hang out with her father.”

Claims Of Drug Use

Uaiwa said Penn attempted to get her to have sex with other men. He also allegedly pressured her to smoke marijuana. She claimed Penn has been a drug addict since he was only 14 years old. His training camps, she said, were attempts to stay sober. Apparently, his drug use supposedly affected his family life:

“I woke up one night to him scared because he got cocaine on my oldest daughter,” she wrote. “He was freaking out and he wanted to commit suicide.”

Another incident allegedly occurred after Penn was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Uaiwa said Penn did cocaine with his friends in the hotel bathroom before verbally abusing her and smashing her cell phone.

Not Charged

A former employee of his website, BJPenn.com, named Pedro Carrasco also alleged Penn was a cocaine addict. His girlfriend accused Penn of sexual assault. Penn denied the allegations, calling them a plan to extort him. Police investigated the claims but never filed charges. The UFC decided not to sanction Penn as a result. They did, however, reserve the right to “reevaluate the matter should new information be made available.”

It’s important to note that Penn has not been arrested nor charged with a crime. When the order was initially filed, he was required to stay 100 feet away from Uaiwa and refrain from contacting her. However, he was later allowed supervised visits with their two children. Penn was also granted limited contact with her involving each sides’ attorneys.

The UFC has yet to comment on the matter. Penn is scheduled to face Clay Guida at May 11’s UFC 237 from Curitiba, Brazil. The UFC has professed a zero-tolerance policy on domestic violence in the past, but they’ve mainly deferred to the legal system and their own investigators to decide if fighters were punished. Several fighters have been involved with domestic violence but allowed to return when no formal charges were filed.

For example, the promotion came under fire for signing controversial ex-NFL star Greg Hardy and then putting him on the same card as domestic violence victim Rachael Ostovich. Hardy’s conviction was overturned when the victim failed to appear to testify.