Conor McGregor and BJ Penn had similar careers, who has a better legacy?

[Sean_wongster_wongmastter]

Conor McGregor and BJ Penn surprisingly had very similar careers.

Conor captured gold from Aldo while Penn did so from Hughes, both became champions against two weight classes and both fought at multiple weights.

Penn did go all the way up and fight Machida while McGregor only went up to 170 but potentially 185 against Chandler.

Penn has his horrible loss where he got grappled fked by GSP (twice against GSP) where McGregor had his against Khabib.

Mcgregor’s two losses to Poirier is similar to losses for BJ against Edgar right before BJ started his massive losing streak.

Both even has allegations of cocaine fueled rage, although BJ’s allegations of sexual abuse are more credible given I think a restraining order was issued.

Also, while McGregor punched someone in a pub, BJ tried to punch someone in a pub but got KOed.

When it’s all said and done, who has a better legacy?

BJ Penn or McGregor?

 

[Blanqa Blanqua]

Penn

 

[dc007]

Good question. Conor hasn't quite destroyed his legacy as much but he still has time. Also he was the far more successful fighter as far as financial success but then again BJ was born rich.

 

[Baal]

Conor will be remembered more fondly by the masses if that's what you mean by "legacy"

If you mean MMA resume, I'd still give the edge to Conor

 

[Blanqa Blanqua]

Good question. Conor hasn't quite destroyed his legacy as much but he still has time. Also he was the far more successful fighter as far as financial success but then again BJ was born rich.

Conor will be remembered more fondly by the masses if that's what you mean by "legacy"

If you mean MMA resume, I'd still give the edge to Conor

filthy Casuals

 

[noizer]

It depends how you look at it.

In terms of money and fame Conor is the bigger name by far.

I think Penn has done more fightwise. He was a defending champion at lw who beat some of the very best opponents of that time, didnt hydrate himself nearly to death to capture a belt and even won a belt above his natural weightclass against a worldclass opponent.

 

[Blanqa Blanqua]

 

[Blanqa Blanqua]

 

[Blanqa Blanqua]

 

[LostMyBlackBelt]

BJ fought bigger guys, Connor fought smaller guys.

 

[dc007]

filthy Casuals

Dude, I loved BJ in his heyday but he made a mess of his career. Conor is on the same path but not as far gone just yet.
He can still walk away and be remembered as the biggest star the sport has ever seen and the first to hold two belts simultaneously.

 

[Blanqa Blanqua]

Dude, I loved BJ in his heyday but he made a mess of his career. Conor is on the same path but not as far gone just yet.
He can still walk away and be remembered as the biggest star the sport has ever seen and the first to hold two belts simultaneously.

Can't see the forrest for all the trees eh?

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

If they had given the first GSP fight to Penn, it would be BJ by a long shot and anyone suggesting otherwise would be tarred and feathered. Hard to compare their careers as they took place in such different eras of the sport. BJ moved up to fight not one, but TWO GOATs of the division above his, also fought Machida at HW. We have to remember that the majority of his LW run happened much later in his career because it took the division four years to be even competitive with him.
Penn is my vote, even with the terrible downslide.
Just looking at January 2003-January 2004 for BJ.
He draw Caol Uno (a fight I thought Penn won)
Beats the other arguable LW GOAT in Takanori Gomi, then makes his WW debut submitting Matt Hughes to become who should have been seen as the true first two division champion.

 

[RoyJonesJr]

Conor elevated the sport into a new level of mainstream no fighter has ever done (Bigger than Brock & Housey)

BJ Penn was a crazy mofo that would literally scrap Strickland today if this was still 05 (Could even possibly win a decision if he trained cardio properly )


So its apple & oranges type of comparison depending on the criteria

 

[waldywaldy]

BJ was the best lightweight in the world for a decade

Good as Conor was, his prime only lasted for a couple of years

 

[FlyingDeathKick]

Motivated Conor needs to be a thing now like motivated BJ Penn lol. He really let his career go imo. Fought just 4x in MMA since he won the belt and was never fully invested anymore since the Mayweather payday. I don't think he even wanted to fight Khabib but his hand was kind of forced with the Artem incident..

 

[Davidjacksonjones]

The one with title defences

 

[Sean_wongster_wongmastter]

BJ was the best lightweight in the world for a decade

Good as Conor was, his prime only lasted for a couple of years

BJ only held the lightweight belt for 6 years and he fought like 3 times at lightweight in those 6 years, mostly doing WW fights.

Also LW was far shallow of a division in those days. BJ got the title after like 6-7 fights.

 

[Haj01]

Bj Penn was an established champion who actually held the belt and defended it multiple times.

Really he beat himself due to lack of dedication. Skillwise he should have beat alot of guys he lost too.

Conor on the other hand appears to have tried his best but still came out short. No excuses he just not as good as his opponents. Conor also never successfully defended if I'm correct.

Both are similar in the fact they kinda destroying their legacies by poor life choices and decisions.

But BJ never got submitted in his prime where as Conor been submitted left right and center. BJ overall has better accomplishments.

Conor would only ever dream to win WW title. BJ actually did that against a world class wrestler.

Conor could not stop Matt Hughes from taking him down and submitting him like BJ did.

 

[Goutfather]

they were both massively overhyped, and both showed glaring vulnerabilities which fans and media overlooked in order to promote the fighters’ mythos. but bj was much more well rounded, and he actually defended his titles. most of conor’s big fights pre-khabib just seemed… idk. it just looked like his opponents forgot how to fight. that always bothered me. so as much as penn fucked up his career, it’s still much better than anything conor did.