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Rory MacDonald asks for BJ Penn fight, awaiting reply

ESPN staff
June 5, 2012
Rory MacDonald beat Che Mills last time out © Getty Images
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Rory MacDonald has propositioned BJ Penn over a potential comeback fight for the legendary Hawaiian, insisting Penn is the fight he wants more than any other.

MacDonald, at 22 years of age, is tipped as a future champion of the 170lb division. Penn, meanwhile, has already won UFC gold at lightweight and welterweight, but is currently retired.

The Prodigy has always said he would return if a tempting challenge offered itself, and MacDonald may be that ticket. As the MMA community clamours to hail MacDonald 'the next generation', Penn might just fancy putting the Canadian in his place.

"Right now I feel there's a guy that I want to fight before he leaves the sport and that's BJ Penn," MacDonald told The MMA Hour. "That's a guy I really want to fight.

"I respect him a lot. He's a legend and I think it'd be a really good matchup for me to have that fight in Toronto I think it'd be a great opportunity. I'd love the opportunity to fight a guy I've looked up to for a long time and watched since I've been a young kid, so we'll see if he accepts.

"I'm throwing the idea out there. If he'd like to do it, I'm more than ready to accept.

"It's more of the idea that he may be retiring, so how many opportunities am l going to get to fight a guy like BJ after he's gone? I think it'd be a great fight.

"It's definitely not an easy fight. I definitely think I'll win. I'm very confident in myself, but BJ's a very dangerous fighter. If you take him lightly, you're in for a very bad night. I'll be at my very best if that fight happens."

Penn has already turned down the chance to fight Gilbert Melendez and Josh Koscheck.

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