Freddie Roach Says BJ Penn is Best MMA Striker

Snuggles · 12-19-2008, 04:35 PM

Freddy Roach Says BJ Penn WiIl Beat St. Pierre If They Strike - FightLine.com

Yahoo sports writer Kevin Iole recently made an appearance on Fight Game with Mike Straka. During the show Iole revealed that he'd recently spoken to famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach who explained to Iole that B.J. Penn has the best striking in MMA.

“I talked to Freddie Roach about B.J. last week and he told me by far…he said by far, B.J. Penn is the best striker he’s ever seen among MMA fighters and he thinks that if B.J. can get into a striking match with GSP, he would definitely win that.”

The legendary trainers assessment carries even more weight when you consider the fact that roach has worked with famed MMA strikers Andrei Arlovski and Anderson Silva.

The prospects that BJ Penn and Georges St. Pierre end up in a pure striking match is highly doubtful. Both men possess too many skills in all other aspects of the fight game then to rely on one facet. But, Roach's comments remain interesting and telling nonetheless.

broken · 12-19-2008, 04:44 PM

Interesting but lets be realistic BJ has some fantastic standup but he isn't the "Best Striker in MMA". Sounds like Roach, whom I really respect, is just backing BJ Penn.

Urijah Fubar · 12-19-2008, 04:45 PM

Freddie must be sucking someones dick but i wonder whos

Captain Smoker · 12-19-2008, 04:45 PM

WTF, that is so crazy. BJ is good, but I neevr thought of him like that. I mean he may have boxing on everyone else. But his muay thai isnt nothing to Andersons. Is this guy blind Penn hugger? If Penn really was the best striker, he would be P4P best for sure, being how good his grappling is. But I dont think he is.

Turban Capote · 12-19-2008, 05:15 PM

I think that since he is a boxing trainer he would tend to back a guy with strong boxing fundamentals, I don't necessarily agree though. Anderson is better than Penn in striking.

SteveBoogie · 12-19-2008, 05:31 PM

freddie needs to detach himself from that doughboy's ballbag and get his head screwed on correctly. he's probably a better BOXER than GSP but what the hell is that even saying. i completely disagree.

Keelar Squeed · 12-19-2008, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by Turban Capote

I think that since he is a boxing trainer he would tend to back a guy with strong boxing fundamentals, I don't necessarily agree though. Anderson is better than Penn in striking.

My thoughts exactly. Penn's striking is textbook US/British boxing and may be the most fundamentally among the UFC elite. That doesn't mean that teh Schpider isn't the best MMA striker by a mile.

Also, consider that Freddie Roach probably doesn't watch much MMA. He's focused on his own craft.

Captain Smoker · 12-19-2008, 06:51 PM

This is why hardcore fans know more about the sport than anyone else, except maybe the MMA trainers themselves.

My opinion>Freddie Roaches.

I mean cmon, best striker in MMA!?!

R3D D3ViL · 12-19-2008, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by Captain Smoker

This is why hardcore fans know more about the sport than anyone else, except maybe the MMA trainers themselves.

My opinion>Freddie Roaches.

I mean cmon, best striker in MMA!?!

Your opinion definitely isnt> Freddie Roaches. I mean you can believe that but it ends there.

I think Freddie consider's BJ the best MMA striker because Penn's hands are the best.

His jab in the Sherk fight was accurate as fuck. His timing and kinetic linking is also very impressive.

I think Anderson has better MT clinch, bett knees, and better kicks but BJ's hands are VERY impressive.

IMO BJ has the best hands in MMA. Does that make him the best striker? I dont know, thats a matter of opinion but youd be hard pressed to find a guy with better hands than BJ right now.

This is why GSP will take him down and control him for 5 rounds FTW.

milesteg · 12-19-2008, 08:15 PM

BJ's top 5 but not the best.

It's not like there's a way to really test this but I think Anderson Silva has easily shown that he has the best striking in MMA.

BJ is good, a natural, phenomenal striking, but it's not the best. He doesn't even have the best hands in LW or WW in my opinion. GSP, Alves and Alvarez, Hansen & Florian do in my opinion.

BJ is a good striker but what makes him look even better is, ppl are fucking AFRAID of his ground game. So BJ gets guys who aren't looking for takedowns, aren't coming in too fast and are concentrating and probably training more on the ground. It's almost like he gets a free pass.

That's how both Lyoto and Pulver tuned him up in my opinion. They weren't scared to go toe to toe with him and when they did, BJ came up a little lacking. Those fights were a long time ago and I've seen MARKED improvements in BJ's striking since, but nothing to suggest he's the best.

Relentless · 12-19-2008, 08:37 PM

1. Anderson
2. BJ

Scorched Earth · 12-19-2008, 11:53 PM

Relentless · 12-20-2008, 12:03 AM

BJ's technical boxing really is on another level, Freddie Roach is a boxing trainer so maybe he means best MMA boxer, in which case i would agree 100%

Scorched Earth · 12-20-2008, 12:08 AM

BJ does have some timing tough. I love that flying knee he timed off of Sherk shooting from the cage. I don't know who I enjoy watching get beat up more Sherk or Joe Daddy. Probably Sherk because it is more rare and precious.

Relentless · 12-20-2008, 12:09 AM

i like Sherk, a lot actually, i was torn in that fight, the Sherk KO, beautiful though