“Sean Sherk, you’re dead.”

Guess is that Sherk and his 32-2-1 overall MMA record didn’t like that very much. In fact, when he walked into the Octagon after those words were said the look on his face said B.J. Penn is dead.

Question is, which fighter is right?

B.J. Penn will bring four (T)KO’s and five submission victories into the Octagon against Sean Sherk. Along with this, he has fast hands, good power, and solid technical striking skills ( particularly in relation to his boxing skills ). But when it comes to B.J. Penn, well, the conversation usually turns to his toughness and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu / submission skills at some point.

After all, he possesses some of the best jiu jitsu we’ve ever seen in mixed martial arts.

Furthering this notion, Penn has an unbelievable guard and is as flexible a guy as you’ll ever see. This makes him a threat to end each fight every second that it remains on the ground. On top of it all, Penn also displays excellent takedown skills and ridiculous takedown defense.

The only weakness in the past has proven to be his cardio when fighting bigger fighters like Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes (two guys he had in trouble before losing in the later rounds). But it’s beginning to look as if he’s more committed than ever, and his impressive victory over Joe Stevenson for the UFC Lightweight Championship only seemed to reinforce this.

In other words, watch out for B.J. Penn.

Sean Sherk was looking like a pretty unbeatable lightweight before testing positive for performance enhancing drugs and being suspended. Along with this, he has defeated eight people via (T)KO and 13 by submission during his career. Still, documenting the victories doesn’t’ necessarily tell the story on Sherk.

Here’s what does. He’s a ground and pound nightmare. In fact, Sean Sherk may just be the best lightweight ground and pound fighter of all time. What does that translate to?

Awesome strength, takedowns, takedown defense, and ground control skills. On top of it all, he’s demonstrated ridiculous cardio throughout his career, is very tough, and is extremely hard to submit (he’s never been submitted).

Heck, even his stand up is better than average.

The weaknesses? Well, he doesn’t have great reach. In addition, though he has come through with dominant victories in his last three fights against Hermes Franca, Kenny Florian, and Nick Diaz, he’s been unable to stop any of them.

So he sometimes leaves guys around for a while.

Sean Sherk vs. B.J. Penn UFC 84 Prediction

This isn’t the hardest fight to breakdown, even if it isn’t easy to pick a winner. In other words, Sean Sherk will almost certainly look to take B.J. Penn down and dominate him in ground and pound style. Penn, on the other hand, will look to keep the fight standing. If he can’t, then he’ll look for submissions from his back.

Some believe that performance enhancing drugs have been behind Sean Sherk’s ridiculous cardio in the past. Still, if we assume that this isn’t true— that Sherk will demonstrate the same cardio in this fight as he has in fights past— the longer the fight goes the better it will likely be for him.

Yes, Penn has been working hard on his cardio, but Sherk is a machine in this arena.

So Penn may need to win by stoppage, something he is certainly capable of (or a very close decision through winning the first three rounds). Sherk will look to gain a TKO victory over his adversary in ground and pound fashion or to grind out a decision.

Figure that the stand up fighting in this one may favor Penn, but this one won’t stay standing. As good as Penn’s takedown defense is, Sherk is going to bring him to the canvas.

Can Penn submit him there? Yes. Will he?

There's a 50-50 chance of it. However, expect B.J. Penn to have enough in the gas tank to win the first two rounds and a close third, even if he can't pull off a submission.

B.J. Penn wins via unanimous decision.

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