By Joe Fernandez
Newsday.com
BJ Penn didn't even get a chance to catch his breath yet.
At UFC 80 on Saturday in England, the native Hawaiian became the second fighter (Randy Couture was the first) in UFC history to earn two belts in two different weight classes. With Penn still collecting congratulations from his team members, the fight between him and Sean Sherk was all but inked.
But why?
Sherk, the former UFC lightweight champion, was suspended and stripped of his title for testing positive for nandrolone after his title fight with Hermes Franca last July.
Should he immediately be thrown right back into the mix? Shouldn't he have to work his way back up the lightweight ladder?
Sherk is strong, strong, strong. His ground-and-pound might be the best in his weight class, and he would give BJ Penn a great match. But when you lose a match, you have to work your way back through the division. Sherk has his title shot already. So, is losing a match worse for a fighter's title chances than getting in trouble for taking performance-enhancing drugs? I'm not saying Sherk shouldn't ever be considered a contender again, far from it. What I am saying is he should have to win a few matches again first, and maybe win back some of those fans that were booing him in England.
By the way, what about Roger Huerta for this title shot? Huerta has compiled a 6-0 record and a reel of exciting fights since he came to the UFC. The 24-year-old is 22-1-1 overall and would be a huge test for Penn. Imagine Huerta taking Penn into the fifth round? Could be one of the best matches ever.
And one more thing.
UFC -- You have an unbelievable product. The fights are great, the fighters are easy to cheer for and the sport is very exciting. There's no reason to do the WWE thing where someone comes into the Octagon and confronts the guy who just won (For example: Sherk confronting Penn and of course this...)
You don't need to create drama and more theater. There's enough on display during the matches between these phenomenal athletes. I guess the point of this blog is -- Just be natural.