In a match-up that the UFC billed as “New School vs Old School,” UFC hall-of-famer B.J. Penn was brutally pummeled in a second-round-stoppage by his faster, younger opponent, Yair Rodriguez.
OH. MY. GOODNESS. 💀💀💀@panteraufc demolishes BJ Penn to claim #UFCPhoenix!https://t.co/3wilhSIS36
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) January 16, 2017
At just three-seconds into the second round, Rodriguez delivered a nasty high-kick that promptly sent Penn to the mat, where he endured nearly 20 more seconds of ground-and-pound before the referee stepped into to mercifully stop the onslaught. It was a beatdown reminiscent of another recent comeback of a UFC legend, when Ronda Rousey fell to Amanda Nunes in an even more devastating first-round KO.
While “New School” definitely reigned supreme at UFC Fight Night 103, no one is trying to take anything away from “Old School” Penn’s storied legacy. The 38-year-old is one of just three fighters to have ever held two UFC championship titles in different divisions, and had the kind of star power back in the day that definitely paved the way for future MMA stars.
But the new class of mixed martial artist that the 24-year-old Rodriguez represents bodes well for both the Mexican fighter himself, and the UFC’s featherweight division.
Now with a win over a UFC Hall of Famer among his impressive record of 10-1, we can’t wait to see what Rodriguez does next.