B.J. Penn issues formal challenge to Nik Lentz to fight at UFC 197
B.J. Penn is serious about returning to the Octagon.
Less than 24 hours after hinting at a possible comeback on Instagram, the former UFC welterweight and lightweight champion challenged Nik Lentz to a fight at UFC 197 in Las Vegas.
"This is a formal challenge for Nik Lentz to meet me in the Octagon March 5th in Las Vegas," Penn wrote in an Instagram post. "Nik you wrote a silly poem about me making fun of me, you said stuff about me and my parents, and you been making a #bringpennback hashtag, I ask you today to be a man and back up everything you said, talk the talk walk the walk, uncle BJ is mad already."
The two were involved in a heated social media exchange in October in which Lentz called Penn a "spoiled little rich kid."
Penn retired in July 2014 following his third straight loss, a third-round TKO to Frankie Edgar at The Ultimate Fighter 19 finale.
- With h/t to MMA Fighting