Keep reading to find out.
What BJ Penn (14-5-1) brings to the table: Penn is one of the greatest Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighters of all time. His flexibility in the guard is absolutely ridiculous to the point that his opponent's have no way to get ready for him, because there's no one like him to train with. Beyond that, Penn has solid wrestling and takedown defense. His takedowns are not a strength necessarily, but he's proven able when needed.
On his feet, many underestimate Penn's overall boxing capabilities. His hands are fast, he's technically sound, and he hits very hard. Just ask Sean Sherk and Kenny Florian.
The only real question on him throughout his career has been his cardio. But in recent fights he's looked to be in very good shape.
What Diego Sanchez (23-2) brings to the table: The first things you notice about Diego Sanchez are his obvious confidence and cardio. The guy believes that he is destined to become champion with a conviction that few have, and trains like each fight will be his last. In other words, he doesn't gas. Beyond that, he possesses outstanding takedowns, takedown defense, and well-above average and somewhat underrated submission skills. In terms of stand up, he's also well-above average and has recently added a nice kicking arsenal.
Diego Sanchez is the real deal as well. He truly is a "Nightmare" for opponents.
BJ Penn vs. Diego Sanchez Prediction: First off, Penn is way too big a favorite in this one. The bookmakers have it wrong. That said, on their feet, Penn has better boxing skills and more power. Though Sanchez has a more diverse striking skillset, don't expect it to be enough any more than it was for Kenny Florian in Penn's last fight. Will "The Prodigy" have enough to take him out on his feet? It's possible, but doubtful. First, Sanchez has a great jaw. Second, he's a pretty good stand up fighter himself. So if the fight stays standing for the majority, expect Penn to win a decision.
But guess is that Sanchez will try and take this fight to the ground eventually. He will have trouble doing that early and may take some lumps for it. But by round two or three his superior conditioning will allow him to the get the fight to the ground. However, on the ground in Penn's guard is nowhere near a safe place to be.
In the end, expect Penn to win the early rounds on his feet and with submission attempts that fall short against a man with underrated submission defense. By round four, expect Sanchez's conditioning to begin to allow him to gain some momentum. Along with this, Sanchez may be looking pretty solid at the end of this fight. But Penn is the champion for a reason, and his early heroics should net him a decision victory.
BJ Penn wins via unanimous decision.
