Josh Koscheck agrees to fight BJ Penn, awaits his answer
A potentially blockbuster bout is in the works today for the UFC, with Josh Koscheck having been offered a bout with former two-class champion and MMA legend B.J. Penn. Penn, absent since he retired after an October loss to Nick Diaz, has been rumored to have a return in the cards as of late, with Gilbert Milendez as a potential opponent. However, those plans never came to fruition, and Milendez is staying with Strikeforce to defend his Lightweight championship there. Now Koscheck is the potential opponent, revealing the news via Twitter.com:
#UFC just offered me to fight BJ Penn…I said YES!!!!! Just waiting on him!!!!!! Let’s scrap bra?
— Josh Koscheck (@JoshKoscheck) May 17, 2012
So, it appears that if B.J. Penn is ready to return, a big-name opponent awaits him. Koscheck comes off of a very close fight versus Johny Hendricks. Although he thought he won, ultimately he lost a split decision. Koscheck had asked for a five-round rematch with Hendricks on his Twitter account, stating that he had won rounds 1 & 3. He needs a big win in his next fight to stay towards the top of the divisional rankings, and a fight with Penn could be just that for him. With a stacked division at Welterweight, adding a legend like Penn to the mix only adds fuel to the fire.
Needing no introduction, the ultra-talented Penn has been on the shelf for over six months now, contemplating his next move. Recently Dana White announced he would be returning to the Octagon, to the delight of many fans. Penn of course lost a technical boxing-based match to Nick Diaz at UFC 137, in a Fight of the Night award-winning bout. While many feel he is no longer relevant in the ever-changing landscape of today’s MMA, many others think that he has a lot left in the tank, thanks to his infinite talent in terms of boxing and BJJ. As fans, we will have to wait and see if he accepts the invitation to fight in what could be a very, very exciting bout.
Further Reading: He’s back: Dana White announces B.J. Penn’s return to the Octagon
