His accomplishments caught the attention of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he began his mixed martial arts career less than a year later in 2001. He demonstrated strong striking skills, knocking out lightweights Din Thomas and Caol Uno before suffering a decision loss in a title fight against UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver. In 2003, after Pulver left the UFC and relinquished his title, a tournament to crown a new champion flopped when Penn fought Uno to a draw in the finals at UFC 41, a failure which caused the UFC to later suspend its lightweight division. Penn bounced back later in the year with an impressive victory over Takanori Gomi, Japan’s current number-one ranked lightweight fighter at Rumble on the Rock, an MMA event promoted by his brother.

In 2004 at UFC 46. Penn jumped up in weight classes to challenge the five-time defending welterweight champion Matt Hughes to fill a title contention slot in a division where Hughes had already defeated all the available opposition. Heavily favored to win, Hughes lost the fight four minutes into the first round by rear naked choke.

Penn was a coach for The Ultimate Fighter 5 reality series, which aired on April 5, 2007. Penn lead a team of eight lightweight fighters, and fought a rematch against Jens Pulver at the conclusion of the series on June 23, 2007. He won with a rear naked choke in the second round after controlling Pulver from the mount and then taking Pulver’s back.

BJ is also a staunch supporter of Hawaiian Sovereignity evidenced by the t-shirt he wore during his entrance into the arena fight with Jens Pulver and the remixed song Hawaii 78 by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole - a revered Hawaiian singer whose songs expressed much love for Hawaiian native lands.

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