Why I Fight: The Belt Is Just an Accessory - Paperback

by Jay Dee B. J. Penn (Author), Dave Weintraub (Author)

Claiming that "the belt is just an accessory," Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Champion B.J. Penn explains Why I Fight in this honest, intimate, and fascinating memoir. Written with David Weintraub, Why I Fight is an unforgettable portrait of one of the top and most recognizable mixed martial artists in the UFC and an up-close look at one of the most exciting and fastest growing sports in the world. UFC and Jiu-Jitsu aficionados--and fans of Iceman, A Fighter's Heart, and Bruce Lee's classic The Tao of Jeet Kun Do--will want to explore Why I Fight.

Back Jacket

Street fighting.
Brazilian jujitsu.
Grappling.
Welcome to BJ Penn's island. (Don't worry, he won't hurt you . . . much.)

For the last decade, BJ Penn has been one of the most successful and feared fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). People have been quick to judge, praise, criticize, and hype him, trying to understand what makes him the provocative and controversial fighter that he is.

Why I Fight is the answer that critics, fans, commentators, and pundits have been waiting for. In his own words, Penn explains what led a scrappy teenager from the rough streets of Hilo, Hawaii, onto the biggest stage in all of mixed martial arts. In life, just like in the Octagon, he has never been one to back down from a fight.

A blunt and brutal look at his hardest-fought victories and his most frustrating defeats, Why I Fight is the story of how BJ Penn became one of only two fighters in UFC history to hold belts in two different weight classes. It is the story of a kid from Hawaii who loved to fight. It is the story of a true prodigy.