Ultimate Fighting Championship legend BJ Penn returned to the Octagon for the first time since July 2014 but Yair Rodriguez came to spoil the party with a second round knockout of the Hall of Famer at UFC Fight Night 103 in Phoenix on Jan. 15.
The Mexican newcomer battered Penn in the first round and finished the fight with just 34 seconds in the second round with a front head kick followed by a long combination of ground and pound. Penn, who told the media that "kicking ass is timeless" looked hapless against Rodriguez as he suffered his fourth consecutive loss and fought in his last UFC bout with many advicing that he should hang up the gloves, MMA Junkie reported.
Manny Gamburyan, who retired in 2016, expressed his desire for Penn to "hang it up," saying that he has nothing to prove after being one of the most feared fighters in mixed martial arts.
In his loss to Frankie Edgar in July 2014, 'The Prodigy' decided to call it quits but came back from his 18-month retirement to face Rodriguez. However, that attempt to turn things around in his storied career ended badly as he only won one of his last eight fights.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, not only improved to 6-0 in the UFC but took home the biggest fight of his career that would propel him to more headliners. "Pantera," in just two years with the UFC, is already ranked as 10th contender in the featherweight division where Jose Aldo reigns supreme.
Penn still has not spoken publicly to address his loss even with the calls of retirement and Rodriguez thinks it is for the former two-time UFC champion to decide when he will walk away from the sport, Metro reported.
If there is one thing Penn took home after his stunning defeat, it is the respect of Rodriguez who told the media that even at 38 years old, the Hawaiian is still strong.
Watch the video below for the whole Penn-Rodriguez fight: