Sherdog’s Top 10: Jiu-Jitsu Players in MMA

4. B.J. Penn

Ever since he set foot in a cage, the Hawaiian has been one of the sport’s most beloved and polarizing figures. Pairing otherworldly submission skills with elite striking, “The Prodigy” certainly lived up to his moniker in becoming one of two men -- Randy Couture is the other -- to claim UFC titles in two different weight classes.

Penn was awarded his black belt in jiu-jitsu after just three years of formal training and later became the first non-Brazilian to win the black belt division at the Mundials. Lasting accomplishments achieved over such a short period of time added to his mystique, so he was already a star among underground fight fans when he entered the UFC in May 2001. Penn often opted to shy away from his brilliance on the mat, choosing instead to stand and trade punches with his opponents. Due to those tactics, he has only six submission victims on his resume: Jens Pulver, Kenny Florian, Joe Stevenson, Duane Ludwig, Matt Hughes and Takanori Gomi.

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