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[T]

InsideFighting.com - You wouldn’t know it from the UFC 84: ill will promos but headliners BJ Penn and Sean Sherk have not always hated one another. Former lightweight champion Sean Sherk says he always knew that he’d face current champ Penn some day but never had a problem with him until “The Prodigy” decided to kick him when was down.

“It’s been more recent,” Sherk tells InsideFighting.

“Since he decided to drop to lightweight and since the whole nandrolone thing I guess he decided to kick me when I was down,“ he continues.

The “nandrolone thing,” of course, was Sherk’s one year suspension issued by the California State Athletic Commission after he tested positive for the steroid before his title defense against Hermes Franca last July. Sherk, who hired top legal support and appealed to the state, maintains his innocence to this day.

His suspension was cut in half by the commission after his appeal hearing but in the time he was out the UFC stripped him of his champion’s status and Penn claimed the title with a submission over Joe Stevenson last January. The bad blood began when Penn became public, vocal and profane in his criticism of Sherk and his alleged steroid use according to the former champion.

“We had always been cordial and I had wanted to go to Hawaii and train with him awhile back. His trainer Rudy Valentino actually cornered me when I fought in Hawaii. We had always been real cordial with each other and never had any issues until the nandrolone test and he took the opportunity to criticize me,” Sherk says.

Penn has not limited his critique of Sherk to the topic of steroids but has also claimed that Sherk was “broken” and sent to the lightweight division by Georges St. Pierre, who stopped Sherk in 2005. Sherk was a welterweight until he dropped down to lightweight for a title shot after beating Nick Diaz in 2006 and, needless to say, does not appreciate Penn’s revisionist history of his own career.



Penn (right against Jens Pulver)wasted little time sharing his thoughts about Sean Sherk's positive steroid test


“First of all, BJ is actually wrong. I dropped down [ to 155lbs] after I beat Nick Diaz and was offered a title fight. He dropped down 155lbs after losing two consecutive fights at welterweight. I am 34-2 as a welterweight and dropped down to 155 after a win. BJ making fun of me is just contradicting himself and making him sound like an idiot,” Sherk says.

In this case, Sherk is the one with the correct facts. Penn lost a decision to St. Pierre at UFC 58 and lost a welterweight title fight against Matt Hughes at UFC 63 after injuring his ribs. That’s when Penn moved back down to his natural weight class of 155lbs for a grudge rematch with former champion Jens Pulver in the spring of 2007.

Semantics aside, it’s arguable that Penn has looked better than Sherk against two common opponents, St. Pierre and Hughes (whom Penn beat once prior to losing to him). Sherk lost a five round decision in 2003 to Hughes and was TKO’d by St. Pierre.

“BJ looked better against St. Pierre than I did. He went the distance and probably won the first round. He looked better than me and there’s no way around that but I believe that styles make match ups and St. Pierre was not a good style for me.

"I’m not going to make any excuses for size. Everybody I’ve ever fought at welterweight was bigger than me so that wasn’t it. The fact of the matter is that St. Pierre was the better fighter that night. He used his reach well, has solid striking and is a phenomenal wrestler. Look what he’s done to every single wrestler he’s fought: he’s taken them down and pounded them. He did that to Frank Trigg, Hughes, me and Josh Koscheck who is a four time all American. The guy can wrestle and for me just wasn’t a good match up because of his reach and mobility,” Sherk admits.

Sherk believes he has a better chance against Penn. Pundits might guess possible advantages for Sherk in the wrestling department, cardiovascular conditioning and physical strength but the fighter out of Minnesota believes his biggest advantage will be…well, his will.

Penn says that Sherk was “broken” by St. Pierre but the Muscle Shark disagrees and says it’s Penn that has given in during a fight before.

“No I’ve never been broken. The GSP fight was stopped. I didn’t quit. I didn’t look at the ref and say I was done. I would have still fought. He stunned me and then threw a flurry and it was stopped. I stood up afterwards and was perfectly fine other than the cut that needed stitches later. After I got those I wasn’t in the hospital or anything. I ate some dinner with my family. I was not broken by any means.

“BJ, I’ve seen him broken. In the second fight with Hughes when he was caught on his back and eating those punches and elbows he was just flopping around like a fish out of water. That was a guy that didn’t want to fight anymore. I’ve seen that in a couple of fights where if the fight is not going his way he kind of just says, ‘F_k it. I don’t really care.’ You can see it in someone’s face.





“He’s not really fooling anyone with his talk. Maybe that’s what he uses to motivate himself but I’m not going to quit. He could be punching my face and I’ll come back and get back at him. I’ve been in so many wars. Look at how many back and forth fights I’ve been in and I’ve never given in,” Sherk says.

Sherk isn’t used to fighting against an opponent that he genuinely does not like as will be the case when he and Penn face down May 24th. Nevertheless Sherk is confident that his anger will help him fight better.

“I actually compete better if I don’t like somebody. It tends to motivate me more, I perform better. I had a couple fights where things have happened leading into a fight that frustrated me, things my opponent was doing to throw me off. In those fights I fought better than ever before. That’s what’s going to happen with this fight. If I’m mad I don’t see red to the point where I my lose attributes - I think I gain attributes. I get faster, stronger, faster-thinking and more technical. I think it helps me out and that’s one reason why I’m really looking forward to this fight,” Sherk reveals.

Another reason is because Sean Sherk, both the husband, father, son, brother and the fighter, is eager to put his steroid scandal behind him and make headlines inside the ring again. Almost a year ago Sherk dropped from one of the highest peaks in the sport to a position of public disgrace, lost wages and lost time. And for most of that time he’s also had to watch his most visible critic and future opponent heave additional insults and threats at him as well as take his title.

It’s not difficult, then, to imagine the emotion Sherk will bring with him into the UFC Octagon as a challenger. The fight means one thing to him, even if it will come in many forms.

“Really this fight to me represents redemption. It represents me getting back into the cage, me winning back my title that I shouldn’t have lost in the first place. It represents a big milestone in my career because if I win this fight right here I feel I will make it to the UFC Hall of Fame and that’s my ultimate goal,” he says.

BJ sure did get under his skin.

[scottsec]

I hope Sherk wins...i cant stand Penn...-

[strife]

Why does he bring up the Hughes fight as a time where BJ was broken? He's just reaching for a response with that, BJ was clearly injured and was done before Hughes even started pounding his face on the ground. I'm so ready for this fight to happen already.

[scottsec]

Originally Posted by strife

Why does he bring up the Hughes fight as a time where BJ was broken? He's just reaching for a response with that, BJ was clearly injured and was done before Hughes even started pounding his face on the ground. I'm so ready for this fight to happen already.

Ive watched that fight many times and have yet to see any real indication of Penn being injured. I've hurt my ribs before and its pretty obvious when you do...im not saying he didnt but i think he just gassed...

[0mega1]

"Sean Sherk...You're dead!"

[strife]

Originally Posted by scottsec

Ive watched that fight many times and have yet to see any real indication of Penn being injured. I've hurt my ribs before and its pretty obvious when you do...im not saying he didnt but i think he just gassed...

There was a fucking medical record of him having a seperated rib, cut the "I don't believe he was hurt" crap. When has Penn ever been a fighter to sit and make up excuses? The only one to my knowledge was after the GSP fight, which wasn't even a real excuse, and to be honest if it was judged how Dana and EVERY MMA fan would want fights to be judged on (damage > takedowns), then he wins the fight.

[Dr. MMA]

I've always liked Sherk because of his amazing conditioning and will (yes that's another part of the game too) and explosive takedowns. It's the same reason I liked Kos first too.. because of his relentless TDs.

BJ is another person I love to watch. I don't like BJ's attitude much but he's an exciting fighter and his groundwork is just beautiful.

I'm just hoping for an all out war... I personally don't have a preference of who wins.

[LefthookStcrook]

Originally Posted by strife

There was a fucking medical record of him having a seperated rib, cut the "I don't believe he was hurt" crap. When has Penn ever been a fighter to sit and make up excuses? The only one to my knowledge was after the GSP fight, which wasn't even a real excuse, and to be honest if it was judged how Dana and EVERY MMA fan would want fights to be judged on (damage > takedowns), then he wins the fight.

Yea good point man there IS a medical record for that fight and if i can remeber correctly it was for a seperated rib, regardless if he gassed or got injured tho, he lost the fight. If he couldnt have continued he could have gave up at the start of the 3rd, instead he went out injured and got his ass handed to him. No excuses.

As far as who "broke" and who didnt, I think Penn deffinatly did a better job against Hughes and GSP then Sherk did. But that doesnt mean Sherk was "broke" by them. If thats the case CC and Hendo "broke" Wandy. As sherk said styles make fights and sometimes a certain style can give you real fits, thas why no one is this game will stay undefeated

Good read overall, just adding to the hype. 3 Main-card fights, a pack undercard and the unvieling of the new UFC game, Im deffinatly watching

[T]

Originally Posted by Dr. MMA

I've always liked Sherk because of his amazing conditioning and will (yes that's another part of the game too) and explosive takedowns. It's the same reason I liked Kos first too.. because of his relentless TDs.

BJ is another person I love to watch. I don't like BJ's attitude much but he's an exciting fighter and his groundwork is just beautiful.

I'm just hoping for an all out war... I personally don't have a preference of who wins.

Agreed. BJ is a dick but a great fighter, love seeing him fight. I don't know who I want to win I have different reasons as to why I want each fighter to win. I think it's going to be explosive fight though. Like I said before if it goes late into the 3rd I am going to have to give it to Sherk from there on.

[scottsec]

Originally Posted by strife

There was a fucking medical record of him having a seperated rib, cut the "I don't believe he was hurt" crap. When has Penn ever been a fighter to sit and make up excuses? The only one to my knowledge was after the GSP fight, which wasn't even a real excuse, and to be honest if it was judged how Dana and EVERY MMA fan would want fights to be judged on (damage > takedowns), then he wins the fight.

Im not sayin he wasnt hurt. I just think he lost because he gassed not bc of the injury.