Penn talked about his victories in BJJ and plans for UFC Rio.
A former champion of two divisions in the UFC and a Hall of Famer of the organization, B.J. Penn will be fighting at UFC Rio this Saturday against fellow veteran Clay Guida, but in a chat with Graciemag he remembered the best day of his life: winning a black belt title at the 2000 IBJJF Worlds.
Nineteen years ago, the Hawaiian was competing in his third World Championship at Tijuca Tennis Club, and this time he was destined to win. After getting advice from Victor Shaolin, Penn claimed gold at featherweight, thus becoming the first American black-belt to win a BJJ world title.
Penn also talked to us about his performance at the 1999 Worlds, where he was stopped in the semifinals by a beloved Brazilian champion.
Check out, below, our exclusive chat with B.J. Penn at the UFC Rio press conference.
