UFC News: GSP-Vaseline Controversy, BJ Penn Retiring? Couture

In his first public interview since losing to UFC Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre over the weekend, UFC Lightweight Champion BJ Penn reveals that he had intended for his fight at UFC 94 to be his last inside the Octagon. Penn told KHON-2 Hawaii news: "I have no clue what is going on in my head right now. I was going to make this my last fight and finish up fighting GSP. In my head, I was with [the UFC] for nine or ten years and I kind of just wanted to be finished with this whole thing after this. So I don’t know where my head is right now."

-- UFC President tells FanHouse.com that 2009 will be a huge year for the company: "We’ve got Mir and Lesnar coming up, we’ve got possibly Rashad and Rampage, or if it’s not Rashad and Rampage it’ll be Rashad and Lyoto, which I think will be a very good card too. We’ve got all big fights — Randy Couture’s gonna fight again this year. We’ve got a lot of big cards this year … Also, Kenny Florian and BJ is going to be a big fight … I can’t see — BJ, to me, is not the type of person who’s going to have a fight like he just had and walk away from his belt at 155. I can’t see that happening … I wouldn’t have been shocked if BJ had won both titles and then retired. That wouldn’t have shocked me. But after the way that went down, I can’t see him retiring."

-- The big story in the UFC this week is the aftermath of the Georges St. Pierre vs. BJ Penn fight from last weekend. Penn was unable to continue after four rounds of abuse last at UFC 94, however GSP's corner has been accused of rubbing Vasaline on the champ's back in between rounds, which is illegal and would have made it harder to BJ Penn to grapple with him. GSP's camp is pleading ignorance and claims any grease that was applied to his back was unintentional. Former welterweight champion Matt Hughes is now speaking out about the GSP-Vaseline saga with some startling comments from his official blog: I’m not the only one who has said that GSP felt greasy during a fight. I know Matt Serra has mentioned it and, even in their first fight, I think BJ said something. I’m not saying GSP did something wrong and I’m not saying that it would have changed any outcomes of any fights; but what I am saying is, for my last two fights against Georges, he felt greasy.

BJ Penn retiring:
Bullshit. If he was retiring, he wouldn't be trying to win another title. If he was retiring, he'd make his last match against KenFlo and see whether he can retain the title. When he was stripped of his title when he left UFC, he was seeking legal action and shit, no way he will voluntarily give it up.

Couture:
Easy to fit him in. Especially when he's not champ anymore, he'll be the co-main event and you don't really know how much he has left, so it's not like he's a guy to throw your whole PPV's hopes into.

GSP/vaseline:
Though it shouldn't be done, in no way does it affect the match. Make it harder for Penn to use his BJJ? Maybe he should improve his stamina and not tire out so easily that he gets pounded regardless of whether there was vaseline or not. Vaseline didn't make GSP's stand-up game better than BJ's.

Quote :

"Of course it’s up to the UFC, but I would be happy to offer B.J. a second rematch. I am confident the outcome will be the same."

Penn, who remains the UFC’s lightweight title-holder, was quick to reply to that offer.

"I hereby accept George St. Pierre and Greg Jackson’s challenge for a fight in the summer 2009."

Let's watch BJ get whooped again!