RANT: Greasegate Dissected

I will first start off by saying I was SUPER excited for the BJ Penn vs. George St. Pierre fight. I wanted GSP to win but I thought BJ would win. A quick breakdown of my thoughts on why I picked Penn to win...
1) GSP tends to be as fast or faster than other welterweights with his striking, putting him on the slow end for once (compared to penn)
2) BJ can take a beating

Alright, all that older news aside. I have been following this whole Greasegate situation very closely because it intrigues me to see how the commission deals with this, then how the UFC does afterwards. UFC doesn't have a ranking system like college football, tennis, golf. Thus, matches are made via the best timing per fighters as they rebound from a win or loss.

The reason I'm bringing this up is purely for the obvious reason... BJ Penn vs. GSP... how did Penn get to jump to the front of the line for the weltertweight bout? The obvious answer, it's a superfight. It's all for the better reason that, this is to have both fighters battle it out within their prime to see who's the best.

Listening to interviews of BJ Penn after the fight and even a leaked video of the hearing for greasegate gave me a clear picture of BJ and what's really going on.

1) If GSP was slippery, I'd assume BJ would say something during the fight between rounds. That is if it was a clear unfair advantage that Penn couldn't win and was stuck having to fight for 20 more minutes with the odds against him (this is with the assumption that Penn noticed after the first round of fighting GSP).
2) If Penn thought he could beat GSP even though he was cheating, it doesn't make him look any better that he's complaining after the fight. You're not that great obviously to beat someone who was "cheating", so are you mad that you couldn't beat him while he was "cheating" or are you mad because you lost the fight when you truly were just not the better man that day?

I don't attack BJ Penn for the same reasons he openly defended himself about in the Sherdog/ESPN video (having a formal complaint). I feel he should be fighting this. As strongly as he's felt in the past about "cheaters" (sherk), I can understand him going the distance in the investigation with the NSAC. Penn briefly mentions that it's for the "future" but I don't feel he truly feels that way. Penn has simply found fuel to add to his fire which burns for GSP.

However, Penn obviously feels he deserves way more than he gets. I would support Penn's new quest to finding a resolution to Greasegate if it didn't seem that he deserves the same things that others work for. How many times has Penn fought as a welterweight within the past year? One (against GSP). He's been owning the whole lightweight (155lbs) division and doing a great job at it.

This is my whole point.... Regardless of the outcome of the NSAC.
1) Penn should be more concerned and supportive that this is change for MMA. Not just speaking about it briefly and it's back to "me, me, me". I feel it's the same as Alex Rodriguez with the steroids issue. He publicly stated that he doesn't want the other 103 names released. Would Penn have the same intergrity and loyalty to athletes which are pushing this great sport (MMA) to the next level? My opinion is no... again that is purely my opinion.

2) If Penn wants to take subtle jabs at GSP for being ok about holding the belt around his waist when he "cheated." I think BJ needs to step back and really look at things. He needs to understand this isn't just about "BJ Penn". This is about MMA and the athletes who make it great (besides himself). When Sherk tested positive, the belt went up for grabs. If Penn has the nerve to say GSP shouldn't be proud to have that belt around his waist he's ignorant. GSP has fought hard to keep that belt, and if anything, it should go up for grabs like the lightweight belt.... an interim match.

Who should be invited to this interim match? GSP should be invited only if the NSAC does NOT suspend GSP for any reason. Who else should fight for it? I don't think Penn should. And it's not because he already was beaten by GSP twice... it's for the mere fact that he should work his way up the ladder as Fitch is doing, Koscheck's doing. If BJ wants to get in the mix to get a piece of GSP... Let's give him the silver spoon he's used to, we'll let him cut in line, but not the front of the line. He can fight koscheck (who is coming off of a loss), or he can fight fitch (who's coming back up the ranks).

This is good for the UFC, this is good for BJ Penn (to adjust to fighting at that weight and earning his stripes), and it's good for the division. No one is cheated, without any doubt, Penn is a true hall of famer by holding the lightweight belt and fighting 1-2 times a year to defend and in the meanwhile fighting welterweights to get the belt he obviously feels he deserves. It's not fair if they gave Diego Sanchez the lightweight title fight for coming down from welterweight. It's not fair to florian, and without knowing sanchez at all, I can assume he wouldn't want to win it that way. He got to fight Stevenson which is a very credible lightweight within the division as opposed to a nate diaz or mac danzing.

GSP didn't show up to the NSAC hearing. Bad move. I understand he's working (training Florian and preparing for Alves). That should be considered, but I believe he should be there. Again, just my opinion.

BJ.... if you want a fight w/ GSP. I'd say do it at a catch weight or 170 again, but you get no belt. It's to simply put a loss on his record and damage GSP's mental psyche. I'm sure that's got to be just as gratifying. Unless.... you want to win the belt from GSP after he's beaten you twice AND haven't taken the same road as he to become a champion? It's not hard to throw those subtle jabs BJ.... you're an amazing fighter and a true warrior. You just want the royal treatment when we're in a time that everyone is working hard for their money (recession) and it's an organization which plays favorites but tends to make most work hard for their title shot (sorry rampage. macchida deserved next.)