UFC Responds To BJ Penn Sexual Assault Accusations, Bellator Kickboxing, UFC Failed Drug Test
- BJ Penn has had some serious allegations made against him recently, as a former employee said that the sexually assaulted his girlfriend by ripping her clothes off and forcing himself on her. Penn vehemently denies the allegations, saying that the employee in question was disgruntled that his severance package was up. The UFC commented on the matters with the following statement.
"UFC is aware of the recent allegations made against BJ Penn. The organization requires all athletes who compete in the UFC to act in an ethical and responsible manner, as detailed in the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy. UFC will not tolerate violations of the policy. Every athlete is deserving of proper review and this situation, as with any serious allegation, will be investigated by an independent party and thoroughly reviewed by the UFC. The UFC organization will also cooperate with any law enforcement investigation. In light of the serious allegations, UFC has postponed plans to book Penn for an upcoming bout until more details are determined.
"UFC holds athletes who compete in the organization to the highest standard and will continue to take appropriate action, if and when warranted. It is important to note that Penn is considered innocent until proven guilty and UFC is not prejudging this matter."
See Also: BJ Penn Announces Return, Randy Couture Turned Down Fedor Fight
- Longtime MMA and Kickboxing promoter Scott Coker will be launching Bellator Kickboxing. The promotion will air on Spike TV, which formerly aired GLORY kickboxing. The show will air it's first event in April, with Melvin Manhoef vs. Alexandru Negrea headlining the show.
Also, don't forget Bellator 149 is tonight, with Ken Shamrock vs. Royce Gracie III and Kimbo Slice vs. Dada 5000. You can see our exclusive interview with Shamrock at this link.
- The UFC released a statement on Gleison Tibau, who failed a USADA drug test recently. Tibau will be given a two-year suspension.
"UFC recognizes the two-year sanction issued today to Gleison Tibau by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for violations of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy.
"UFC secured the services of USADA, a third-party agency, last year to administer its Anti-Doping Policy to ensure that all athletes compete on an even playing field, free of performance enhancing drugs. UFC supports the issuance of necessary sanctions to maintain a clean sport."