Yea, reason we got no Sharks up here is cause the crocs ate them, so the old saying goes

Hey FBF

I was mostly in Byron Bay and the Gold Coast. I did do some diving north, but not as far as Cairns. Likely for the better as I have an aversion for Salties...GRIN

i'm just outside of Cairns North Queensland, I seem to recall you may have mentioned you've visited Cairns diving once or twice?

@fatbellyfrank
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Where about in Australia are you FFB? I think I may have asked before, or seen you mention...but I am not making the connection to a specific region or town?
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I'm in Southern California, ...when not traveling.

Xeno, wasn't aware of the family connection to penn gear, but theres a fairly attractive career change straight away, promoting Penn rods & reels across the globe. I somehow feel BJ will be fine whatever path he takes, and as you said, he need feel no shame,he has definitely proven his warrior status without a shadow of doubt.

With Chris leben I agree there, he def embodies the warrior spirit, as with all true warriors, he doesnt factor in consequences, he just takes action, which occasionally doesnt serve him too well, but as we see time and again with Chris, he'll fight anyone, anywhere anytime.

I'm of the opinion that anyone who gets in that cage has to have the warrior breed in their blood line, or they just wouldn't walk up those steps. Guys I feel fit the bill we were discussing with BJ, Chris Leben, add to that Diego Sanchez, Evan Tanner, Clay Guida and too many others to name.

Guys like BJ, Jens et al need to be kept in the sport to pass on the torch to the new guys coming through, the mental toughness is one of the biggest components of this sport, and guys like BJ and Jens are perfect for passing that knowledge on. I would love to see a few big names come down under and open gyms, they would be huge fish in small pond, and if Aussie fighters are gonna make it big, someone who can teach the wrestling and ground game skills that the American and canadian guys learn in High School and Collegiate wrestling programs. I feel its something the majority of Aussie fighters dont really possess because we dont have the wrestling programme in our education system, our guys play Rugby or aussie rules while your guys would be doing wrestling.

Cheers Xeno

Hey fatbellyfrank...
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Yes, we are in agreement on many levels. I don't know how much of MMA you know, so this is not an insult in any means, but from my time spent in Hawaii - and following the sport of MMA - Penn's family name with fishing equipment is legendary (besides surfing and diving, I love spear fishing and I don't own any Penn gear.)
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You could be right, coming home on the losing end of the fight cards of recent, and doing it time-and-time again zapps your mental. It dissipates even faster when your support group, the family, and your wife and kids starts to show they care with sympathy. Nothing inhuman about that.
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BJ is experiencing what his friend Jens Pulver has experienced just a few years ago. In Jen's case, he gets up, gets into the gym, and keeps scrapping. As he should, as should Tank Abbott. It's in their blood. Time might lessen the Lion's Roar, but not his appetite.
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If Penn is financially sound, from past fighting wins and family wealth, then he has much to give all other promotions. He is too well schooled in being ripped off for his fight purses, and from what we see publicly - he and his family live a modest lifestyle. Being locked into the false mindset that the "UFC is the Best", is non-sense for only a fool.
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Penn's no fool, and he owns a great gym. He has every reason in the world to show his students that they need to compete, and not quit. He has fought the best, and needs not prove to anyone that competition with slower tempo is fine, and honorable. If anyone knows him, suggest he read the life of the iconic warrior Miyamoto Musashi.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miyamoto_Musashi
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The best are the guys like the Arlovski's, and all the others who the media (fed by the pockets of the few - for access to the best news) are what the sport is all bout. Winning and losing is part of every game...look at baseball, football, or boxing and triathlons competitions...no one wins forever, but that they didn't win, need not mean they quit and slink into obscurity.
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BJ need not feel ashamed one bit. He is a tough fucker "..On Any Given Sunday." And aside from the promotions marketing games locked in my deep contracts, he usually can be counted on to stand up, stand tall, and speak his mind.
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I've said before the Leben is the persona of the quintessential MMA warrior, but Penn fits that bill all the same, as do many others. What do you think Frank?

Xeno, yea realise no hate on your part, just a bit of sarcasm after the nonsense I've been participating in lately. I think you may have hit the nail on the head with the wife and kids comment. I imagine BJ would be reasonably comfortable financially, couple that with contentment on the domestic front and maybe a bit of the hunger and drive has gone.
Another point, do you feel that theres a MMA promotion that could offer BJ enough, financially, media attention and all that to make him accept their offer?

There's not hate Frank....the promotion (ZUFFA) needs to put up or shut up. Fact is Penn is no where near being dominate in any weight class right now, yet he is still an excellent fighter. It was both his love and passion before being married and having kids.
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There is nothing that says, he can't go on having many great fights for a long time - Randy did it. And there is nothing that says he should ever feel his allegiance to the UFC - the UFC is strictly about contracts and lining their pockets.
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Penn used to be able the trade, the art of fighting all. He has lost that, that is what his unbalance is all about. After he lost to Edgar...he said that he just wanted to fight great fights, and wasn't interested in the belt.
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For where did you think that seed was planted from, it was from Dana himself...Penn is a super large fan favorite, and the ZUFFA people know his name is still highly marketable.
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SO they will use his ass as long as they can, as they struggle furiously to find new talent to displace him with. Its not FM (fucking magic)
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Why doesn't CP write an article about all his professional options, as a gesture of good faith to Penn who carried the sport for many years???? Come on CP...let us all know that the UFC is a wheel of corruption by contract and take a sportsman's stand that there are many other options for the man!
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I Dare you!

At this point, I sometimes injerject, with a whoa, why the hate, maybe some people should put up or shut up, however given the events of the last few days in the comments section, all i'm gonna say is, Danga, you cant please everyone, and keep up the hard work, and peace, love and good morning to my CP bruthas and sista's

Lol!

Hey Danga...
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What kind of Zuffa cock sucking is this:
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"Let’s just hope a (BJ Penn) fight doesn’t pop up on a regional circuit somewhere that forces Penn to go back on his word."
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And why not....why wouldn't BJ want to take fights on smaller circuits, or even go fight at Bellator, Pro-Elite (redux) or ONE FC?
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Does anyone here who is a BJ Penn fan care where outside of the UFC Penn decides he wants to fight?
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Ps...
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DangaDaDang...is that what it sounds like when Dana's balls are bouncing off your chin.

All you b.j fans that used to say b.j only talks the truth,well now I believe .

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@danga
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Nope. Then equals time. Than equals comparison. The sentence uses the if then structure. If a is true, then (indicating a time where a is true) b is whatever.
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Grammar. The more you know.

i.e.

Danga would rather have a penis THAN a vagina.

So anyway, the video. How is BJ's face almost completely back to normal now? He looked like a cabbage patch kid got dragged behind a truck and then stung by a hive of africanized bees. Now he just looks like a normal cabbage patch kid. Pretty cool that he's out at a fight and doing interviews though. Hopefully he drops back down to 155 and keeps fighting. I wonder if he could make 145?

@Warsaw
It's written as "than," which I believe is the proper usage.

Well, I just want someone to learn the difference between then and than. Or maybe BJ said it "then" rather than "than" and maybe he just needs to learn to speak.

Danga also has a small penis... I would know.

Hey skeletor, why the hate on Danga? Like specifically, what about his writing is so far from CP's style? cuz IMO he fits the bill for a CP writer pretty well. or do you jus have one of those 3rd grade school girl crushes on him?

Worthless Captcha......................check
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No edit button.........................check
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Danga writing 9 out of 10 articles.....check
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This has been sliding for awhile now and the Danga just pushes it over the edge. People come here for a specific style of MMA coverage and Danga just can't deliver.
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Danga you are the worst.

25 min. wrestlefuck

As much as I love Diaz, he doesn't have the footwork to compete with GSP.

GSP just wants to have a jab fest.