• UFC 112

Penn develops Frank Mir syndrome with Edgar obsession

BJ Penn has shown the first signs of a Frank Mir-style obsession, insisting he cannot wait four months to get back into the ring with Frankie Edgar.

Penn lost his UFC lightweight title via unanimous decision to Edgar in Abu Dhabi, although statistics have since shown that the former champion may have landed the more telling strikes throughout the five rounds. Penn does not want to take anything away from new 155lb king Edgar, but he does want a rematch.

Prior to their battle on April 10 Penn had spoken of his desire to move up to the welterweight division if he beat Edgar, but now those plans have been scrapped. And in the same way Frank Mir has developed an obsession with Brock Lesnar, Penn admits nothing else dominates his thoughts.

"My focus right now has to be on Frankie Edgar," he told ESPN's MMA Live. "There's nothing else for me to think about right now."

Penn revealed the UFC have already contacted him about a rematch with Edgar, which has provisionally been scheduled for August 28 in Boston, the same night Kenny Florian is set to fight Gray Maynard. Penn does not want to wait that long though, insisting he cannot wait to get back inside the Octagon.

"The UFC has already spoken to my camp and has already expressed some feeling that they're interested in having a rematch between me and Frankie," he revealed.

"As soon as the fight finished, the first thing I wanted to do was get back in the ring as soon as possible against one of the top contenders. But the UFC got back to us and expressed an interest about rematching Frankie for the title.

"That would be a longer delay than expected. August 28 is too far away for me. I'm 31, I want to have as many fights as I can until I can't do this thing anymore. I want to get in the ring as soon as possible."

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