BJ Penn Serious About His UFC Comeback with Stacked Team of Training Partners

No one has ever questioned that B.J. Penn wants to go down in the annals of UFC history as one of the best fighters of all time, but there have been moments when his motivation to train and prepare have come into doubt.

Returning from a short-lived retirement to face Rory MacDonald at UFC on Fox 5 on Dec. 8 in Seattle, however, Penn appears to be at the top of his game, even in the training room.

At least, if the training partners he’s hired for this fight are any indication, it appears that Penn couldn’t be any more serious about his Octagon comeback.

A report on Tuesday night’s edition of UFC Tonight revealed that Penn has been working with a number of top welterweights, including UFC fighter Jay Hieron, Strikeforce welterweights Tarec Saffiedine and Tryon Woodley, as well as Strikeforce lightweight title contender Pat Healy and former Strikeforce champion Josh Thomson, and, if that wasn’t enough, he’s also working with current Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren.

That’s some serious firepower and a strong indicator that Penn isn’t slacking on his preparation for MacDonald. Of course, the fact that MacDonald is a training partner of Penn’s nemesis, Georges St-Pierre, likely adds a little extra flame to the motivational fire.

B.J. Penn and Rory MacDonald square off as part of the UFC on Fox 5 main card that airs Dec. 8 from Seattle on Fox.

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