BJ Penn’s dream fight is still a possibility.
On Sunday night, UFC legend BJ Penn found himself campaigning for a huge completion of a trilogy with former rival Georges St-Pierre.
Hey @GeorgesStPierre if you can make 155 easily, I'm free in November and would love the opportunity to fight you at 155 pounds in New York.
— bjpenndotcom (@bjpenndotcom) June 27, 2016
Penn wanted the opportunity to welcome the returning St-Pierre back to the Octagon at the UFC’s landmark New York event in November.
Less than 24 hours later, Penn received a six-month suspension from USADA retroactive to March 25.
March 25 was the date that the former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion admitted to the use of an IV, a practice outlawed under the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s rules, which ultimately ruled him out of his scheduled UFC 199 bout with Cole Miller.
“I voluntarily disclosed to USADA that during a non-fight period that I had an IV administered under the care of a doctor,” said in a statement posted to his website in March. “The rule for IV usage had changed since my last fight in the UFC and was unaware of the change and voluntarily disclosed the information to USADA.
“At no time in my career in martial arts have I ever doped and anticipate all test results from USADA will come back clean and will be working with the UFC to get the matter cleared up and return to fight as soon as possible.”
In a statement on USADA’s website, the UFC’s anti-doping partner revealed the fact that Penn “voluntarily disclosed his use of the intravenous infusion” factored into the decision.
The six-month suspension would mean that Penn would be eligible to fight again on September 25, giving him more than enough time to take on St-Pierre on November 12 in Madison Square Garden but, to be honest, we somehow don’t see that happening.
