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Old grudges die hard, and with news of Luke Rockhold trying to take on Fabricio Werdum it’s seems a beef is never really settled until it’s settled. However, like Nas and Jay-z, there comes a point where you get up in age and you have to let bygones be bygones, especially when the hatchet will be buried on live t.v.

Boxing. For western martial artists it’s been the go striking art for what feels like an eternity. In the realm of mixed martial arts it was once the preferred striking option for the dominant wrestler. Matt Hughes, Frank Trigg, Randy Couture, and Sean Sherk were just a few fighters from the old school era of the sport that utilized a hybrid boxing and wrestling game. When BJ Penn came onto the scene he utilized a similar approach albeit with more knees and a suffocating jiu jitsu top game. Penn was a man to fear based on his solid boxing skill and ability to dominate on the ground if in top position. But what we saw yesterday showcased the fact that having a terrifying boxing game isn’t going to cut it in the current landscape of mixed martial arts.

“Why the hell is he coming back?”

That seems to be the main question being asked about the upcoming main event of UFC Fight Night 103. BJ Penn hasn’t fought since his odd performance against former rival Frankie Edgar. “The Prodigy” will face off against the red hot Yair Rodriguez, a tough challenge for anyone at featherweight. Rodriguez is a young hungry up and comer with a ton of upside. He’s unpredictable and dangerous for that very reason. Once again that same nagging question arises. Why the hell is Penn coming back to face this young hungry lion?

We all know that wrestling is essential to having a complete MMA game. You can be the best striker on this planet, but if you don’t know how to fend off a double leg takedown then you’re likely not going to go too far in high level mixed martial arts. Wrestling is perhaps the most important skill to have in MMA and because of that very reason stars like Matt Hughes, Jon Jones, Cain Velasquez, and much more were able to dominate the competition. Another two well decorated wrestlers who have made the transition to MMA are former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman and ONE FC welterweight champion Ben Askren.

(Oh, don’t put us through this again, BJ…)

No matter how many times we say it, it appears that fewer and fewer MMA fighters are willing to abide by our ban on unretirement. The latest fighter on that list: BJ Penn.

Yes, after hinting at a union with Greg Jackson and calling out Nik Lentz last week, Penn officially announced his second unretirement on today’s MMA Hour, stating “I’m coming back for honor. I’m coming back to do this, give everything I got.”

By the CagePotato Staff (and a few friends)

2015 was a tough year for the Potato Nation…Nation. We lost our commanding officer, saw our budget slashed to ribbons, and suffered damn near every setback a mid-level MMA blog could suffer. There were times when it seemed that CagePotato would be forced to close its doors for good, or even worse, sell out and start writing “credible” “unbiased” and “truthful” stories rather than 500-700 word fart jokes masquerading as journalism.

But we’re still here, dammit, and while our prospects for 2016 may not be the brightest they’ve ever been, our continued existence will serve as a proud Stockton Heybuddy to everyone who’s been saying for years that we died the minute Old Dad left. So to kick off another year of hastily-researched shenanigans, we figured there would be no more appropriate a celebration than to deliver our year-end awards list, THE POTATO AWARDS, just one business week too late.

Use the page links below to scroll through our list of the greatest knockouts, the slickest submissions, and the most bizarre, f*cked up MMA moments that 2015 had to offer. A huge thanks goes out to all the contributors who made this possible, as well as those of you who have continued to stick with us through these tough times. To 2016!!!!!!!!!!

Page 1: Comeback Fight of the Year, The Steve Nelmark “Is He Dead?” Award, MMA Screen-Cap of the Year

Page 2: Worst Performance in a Drug Test, The Minowaman Freak Show Hall of Fame Award, Worst Event, Submission of the Year

Page 3: MMA GIF of the Year, Most Satisfying Beatdown, Worst Fight of the Year, Most Embarrassing Knockout

Page 4: Greatest Unsanctioned Fight of the Year, The Krazy Horse Bennett Arrest of the Year, Worst Use of Social Media, Greatest Fight Cancelled Due to Injury, Knockout of the Year

Page 5: WTF?!! Moment of the Year, Most Awkward Interview, The Cecil Peoples Shittiest Decision Award, MMA Fail of the Year, Greatest Hype Inflation

Page 6: Photo of the Year, Best Event of the Year, Fight of the Year

(Thompson vs. Ellenberger highlights, via UFC on FOX) 

Gee golly, that Wonderboy Thompson sure can do some fancy things with his feets, can’t he?

If the MMA community wasn’t already high enough on the undefeated kickboxer before his clash with Jake Ellenberger at the TUF 21 Finale, then the *pair* of spinning hook kicks he used to put the veteran away likely made believers out of all of us. Minus a heavy right hook that Thompson ate early in the fight, “Wonderboy” was in complete control on Sunday, utilizing his lengthy, karate-style attack to brutalize Ellenberger before finishing him off with a “Knockout of the Year” contender at the end of the first round.

Check out the complete highlights and results from the TUF 21 Finale after the jump. 

(via Getty.)

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. FORMER UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

It’s a phrase I did not expect to type in my tenure at CP, but here we are. Just two days after the troubled champion was involved in a hit-and-run accident that resulted in the injury of a pregnant woman, Jones has been stripped of his title and suspended indefinitely by the UFC. Ho. Lee. Shit.

The UFC’s official statement on Jones (via their website) is after the jump.

By CP Reader Scott Johnson 

I rented my first UFC event from the local Blockbuster video store back in 1999. I had seen many of the commercials advertising this No Holds Barred spectacle where “Two men enter, one man leaves”, and as a lifelong pro wrestling fan, I was interested to see this new entity. I paid $3.74 and went home with my VHS copy of UFC VI with visions of barbarism and gore dancing in my head, expecting to see nothing short of legalized murder.

What I got wasn’t far off. Immediately after seeing a portly bar brawler by the name of David L. “Tank” Abbott take eighteen seconds to knock a 400 lb. John Matua into a living death, I was hooked. I would go on to rent every single tape that I could get my hands on and started purchasing every PPV event I could (Ok, technically my girlfriend’s dad was unknowingly purchasing them but whatever…)

I mention this only to establish that I am not someone who is new to the UFC brand, nor am I what the hardcore fans would consider a “TUF Noob.” I was there when Frank Shamrock was ending hopelessly overmatched Russians in a matter of seconds. I was watching when Matt Hughes performed an unconscious powerbomb on Carlos Newton, beginning a reign of domination not yet seen in what would be referred to as the “New Era of Mixed Martial Arts.” I spent many of hours passionately defending the intricacies of Jiu Jitsu to my friends, who laughed and referred to talented fighters like Pat Miletich and Mikey Burnett as “a bunch of pantie grabbers.”

That being said, I want you to understand how much it pains me to make my next statement. As a loyal fan of the UFC, I must make the “Ultimate” sacrifice in order to help what I have loved so much for so long. I have to stop watching what has become one of my favorite forms of entertainment.

I have to stop watching UFC. Why, you ask? Well, let me tell you…

(Mouth like Chael, ass like Arianny. / Props: Getty)

Conor McGregor vs. Dennis Siver isn’t so much a “fight” as it is a blatant showcase for an exciting young talent, against an opponent who’s about as hand-picked as they come. If all goes according to plan tonight in Boston, McGregor will score a dominant win and earn a title shot against Jose Aldo in a soccer stadium. If Siver wins…who knows? I mean, I’ll laugh my ass off, but beyond that? Hard to say.

Luckily, tonight’s co-main event should be far more competitive. Will Donald Cerrone finally “go get some!” against Benson Henderson, the former WEC/UFC champion who has beaten him twice before? Or will they just hug and stuff?

Our man Alex Giardini will be providing round-by-round UFC Fight Night 59 results from the FOX Sports 1 main card, after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and hit us up on twitter to share your own thoughts.