Greg Jackson: B.J. Penn getting better every day, probably has 'a few good years left'

Renowned MMA trainer Greg Jackson said B.J. Penn could’ve pulled off a March return to the promotion’s octagon. But in light of a delay, the UFC Hall of Famer has had more time to get better, he said.

“He’s really starting to look really good,” Jackson told MMAjunkie. “It’s starting to click with him. Good sparring. More of the same. Just pushing forward.”

Penn (16-10-2 MMA, 12-9-2 UFC) was targeted to meet Dennis Siver (22-11 MMA, 11-8 UFC) earlier this month at UFC 196, and then at UFC 197 before the promotion tabled his comeback due to allegations from a former employee of his website. UFC officials and Penn’s rep did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his current status.

Jackson believes Penn remains in a holding pattern, and he continues to work with the 37-year-old ex-champ at Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque, N.M.

“We’re trying to work on his technique, so every day, we can get a little bit better,” the coach said. “His numbers are looking good, and I think he’s got a few good years left in him.”

Penn’s return raised eyebrows among many industry vets who feared for the fighter’s safety after a trio of losses, the most recent of which came after a decision to return to the sport after a short-lived retirement. In a 2014 TKO loss to Frankie Edgar, Penn appeared badly outgunned and was stopped as part of his third loss to his fellow ex-lightweight champ. Afterward, he publicly announced his retirement.

But this past fall, Penn began talking up a comeback and targeted a grudge match with UFC featherweight Nik Lentz, with whom he trained for his losing bout with Edgar.

Once a dominant force at lightweight, where he defended the title on three occasions, Penn is one of only two fighters to win UFC belts in separate divisions and is beloved by MMA fans.

In a previous interview, Jackson defended Penn’s decision to compete again and said the fighter still has the potential to be a threat in the UFC’s octagon.

So far, nothing has changed Jackson’s opinion since Penn joined his camp in January.

“He’s still just training, progressing very nicely,” Jackson said. “He’s really starting to look really good.”

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