It's laughable to think that BJ Penn has a chance against Rory MacDonald. Penn will be smashed from pillar to post, and then subsequently retire (again), since he almost always threatens retirement after being beaten decisively.
Think I'm dreaming or just trolling? Let's look at the facts.
Penn is only 2-4-1 at welterweight. Here's where Penn fans swoop in and say, "But three of those losses were to champions!"
Well, they're right. Two of those losses were to current welterweight champion Georges St.Pierre and one was to former welterweight champion Matt Hughes—but that's the point.
St. Pierre and Hughes were big, strong wrestlers who could push Penn around, exploit his small size for a welterweight and push Penn's notoriously limited conditioning beyond its limits.
What is MacDonald besides an updated version of Hughes and, specifically, St. Pierre?
MacDonald has size, strength and stamina—which is all he'll need to beat a welterweight Penn who, if a recent picture is any indication, might not be in the best shape of his career for the fight. Even if the fictitious "motivated Penn" shows up, he'll still be smashed into the canvas so bad that onlookers will think he's one of the advertisements.
MacDonald is just a terrible matchup for Penn, who is too small to compete with the current generation of welterweights represented by St. Pierre, and even more unfit to compete against the future generation of welterweights, represented by MacDonald.
The Canadian prospect will get a hold of Penn, smother him against the cage, attempt takedowns, ultimately wear Penn down and take him to the mat where the fight will eventually end.
Penn might be able to stave off MacDonald's offensive in the first round and make deluded fans think that the legendary "motivated Penn" has returned, but Penn will characteristically fade in this welterweight bout, just like in his bouts with Hughes, St. Pierre and even Jon Fitch.
In fact, Penn's fight with MacDonald with look like a near-exact replica of his fight with Fitch. The wily Penn will put his skill and experience to good use and start strongly, but will drastically fade as the fight drags on, leading to an epic beatdown, only this time he will be finished.
Penn simply has no chance. He's too old, he's fighting in the wrong weight class and the man he's fighting is the future of the division.
Remember the old WWE matches where the Undertaker would wrestle a jobber and then put him in a body bag?
Let's just say that Penn won't be the Undertaker at UFC 152, and if Penn is licking anyone's blood off his gloves, it'll be his own.
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