One of the most talented fighters to ever step in the Octagon, UFC Lightweight Champion BJ “The Prodigy” Penn (13-4-1) became a two-division UFC champion on January 19th at UFC 80 when he submitted Joe Stevenson in the second round to win the vacant lightweight crown. With a blend of stellar ground work, knockout power, and a warrior’s heart, Hawaii’s Penn has amazed fans throughout his career, winning the welterweight title in 2004, and then returning to the lightweight division he started out in and taking the belt there as well. Now he looks to prove, once and for all, that he is the true lightweight king by defeating former champion Sean Sherk, who, in July of last year, lost his title due to a positive test for a banned substance.
“I respect Sean Sherk a lot as a fighter, I think he is great athlete,” said Penn. “But how can he call himself the champion when he cheated…is he for real? I know I am the real lightweight champion, and on May 24th Sean Sherk is going to know it too.”
Fighting out of Oak Grove, Minnesota, Sean Sherk (36-2-1) has been on top of the sport for almost a decade, with an incredible 35 wins and just two losses to his name. A standout wrestler and one of the pound-for-pound strongest competitors in the sport, he defeated Kenny Florian in a battle for the vacant UFC lightweight title at UFC 64 in October of 2006 to become champion in the newly restored weight division. Now he looks to take that title back.
“I can’t wait to fight BJ Penn and get my belt back,” said Sherk. “The guy is talking a lot of crap about me, and I just can’t wait for May 24. You know, to be the champion, you have to beat the champion. So I still think of myself as the real champion, and I can’t wait for UFC 84 so I can bring my belt back home to Minnesota.”
A former UFC light heavyweight champion, Tito Ortiz (16-5-1) is known for his strength, tenacity, and ground and pound attack. Winner of five of his last seven bouts, with the only blemishes being a loss to Chuck Liddell and a draw with Rashad Evans, Ortiz has defeated the likes of Forrest Griffin, Patrick Cote, Vitor Belfort and Ken Shamrock in the last three years, and “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” plans on stealing the thunder from undefeated young gun Lyoto Machida at UFC 84.
“This guy Machida isn't worth talking about,” said Ortiz. “I'm not wasting my time talking about him, so I'm going back to my three months of training. I'm going to crush him, and move on.”
Unbeaten in 12 pro fights, Brazil’s Lyoto Machida is one of the most technical and devastating strikers in the game today. Owner of wins over BJ Penn, Rich Franklin and Stephan Bonnar, Machida entered the UFC Octagon for the first time in February of 2007 and he has since scored wins over Sam Hoger, David Heath, Kazuhiro Nakamura and most recently Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou at UFC 79. On May 24th, he will attempt to keep his perfect record intact against Ortiz and put himself in top contention for the 205-pound title.
“I am honored to fight Tito Ortiz, he’s a veteran and one of the biggest names in the sport,” said Machida. “I can’t wait to fight him, I’m really motivated and have already started my training. There is no way I’m going to let this go to a decision, I’m going to finish him in this fight.”
Keith Jardine (13-4-1) scored the most significant win of his career by decisioning Chuck Liddell last September at UFC 76. In doing so, he secured his reputation as one of the top light heavyweights in the sport. “The
Dean of Mean” has the power and explosiveness to derail any fighter’s game plan, and he showed off those assets when he stopped Forrest Griffin in a single round at UFC 66. Combining these strengths with exceptional wrestling and kickboxing, Jardine has a skill set that makes him a strong contender for the belt, and he intends to cement a title shot via a swift victory over “The Axe Murderer” at UFC 84.
“I’m excited about securing my place in MMA history by beating another icon in the sport,” said Jardine. “I have much respect for Wanderlei, he’s one of the greatest fighters ever, and I look forward to beating him at UFC 84.”
A legendary warrior known as “The Axe Murderer”, Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1) began his career almost 11 years ago in his native Brazil and has since cemented his legacy as one of the greatest light heavyweights in MMA history. Last December at UFC 79, Silva made a thrilling return to the Octagon, engaging in a three round war with Chuck Liddell. And though he would fall short in this Fight of The Year candidate via decision, he proved that he still has plenty of gas left in his fighting tank. A former PRIDE champion who has defeated the likes of current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson (twice), Dan Henderson, Kazushi Sakuraba (three times), Ricardo Arona, Hidehiko Yoshida, and Kazuyuki Fujita, Silva is ready to get back in the Octagon at UFC 84 and take out top-ranked light heavyweight Keith Jardine.
“I think this is a good fight for me, he likes to fight standup and he is a tough guy – he beat Chuck,” said Silva. “I know my last fight was a good fight, but I am training even more for Jardine. I want to prove to myself and my fans that I am the same Wanderlei Silva who has devastated fighters over the last few years
