UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn, 40, was caught on video scrapping with a bouncer outside a Honolulu strip club late Monday after he was kicked out for acting “very drunk,” the club’s owner
told TMZ.
Footage of the scuffle shows several people outside Club Femme Nu demanding Penn — who was shirtless and wearing flips-flops — get off the bouncer as the man struggles to protect himself.
“BJ, stop, BJ!” one man says.
“He’s not stopping,” another witness says.
The scrum continues until Penn stands up and apparently begins to strike the man, prompting a bystander to start punching the former UFC lightweight and welterweight champ in the head to stop the attack.
“Hey, don’t do that,” another man says, apparently worried that the violent confrontation will worsen. “Don’t do that!”
The footage ends as two men try to separate Penn and the bouncer, who is never seen on his feet during the brawl.
Police responded, but Penn, known as “The Prodigy” to fight fans, left the club before officers arrived. Attempts to reach him for comment were unsuccessful, TMZ reports.
Penn — a native of Hawaii who has lost seven straight bouts (16-14-2) since coming out of retirement — has not won a fight since 2010. He last appeared in the octagon on May 10 at UFC 237 in Rio de Janeiro, where he lost a unanimous decision to lightweight vet Clay Guida.
The fight is the latest public setback for Penn, whose wife obtained a temporary restraining order and petition for an order of protection in October, claiming the UFC legend verbally and sexually abused her throughout their 10-year relationship, MMA Junkie
reported in April.
Penn’s estranged wife, Shealen Uaiwa, said she didn’t report Penn earlier “because of his name, reputation, the control he has over my life and I was scared,” according to a written statement contained in the protective order obtained by MMA Junkie.
Penn was ordered to stay 100 feet away from Uaiwa and not to contact her after the order was filed, but he has since been allowed to have supervised visits with the couple’s two children and limited contact with her through their attorneys, MMA Junkie reports.