• UFC on Versus

Paul Kelly reveals the one man he would hate to fight

ESPN staff
July 25, 2010
BJ Penn is 'so technically gifted' © UFC
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Paul Kelly has confessed it would be a nightmare if he ever had to step inside the same Octagon as BJ Penn, because he has too much respect for the former UFC lightweight champion.

Kelly is currently climbing the 155lb ladder, building a 10-2 record ahead of his clash with the gritty Jacob Volkmann at UFC on Versus on August 1. Victory would be the Liverpudlian's fourth in five fights, building on his recent impressive submission stoppage of Matt Veach.

With Penn set to rematch Frankie Edgar for the lightweight title at UFC 118, Kelly fully anticipates that "The Prodigy" will soon by a three-time UFC lightweight champion. That would mean the Hawaiian once again stands in the way of Kelly's own championship dreams.

And the combative Brit admits he would find it difficult to view Penn as his enemy.

"I'd find it really hard to fight BJ. He's the one guy I'd find really difficult to fight from a respect level," Kelly told ESPN.co.uk.

"I'm still pretty young and I'm learning my lessons and getting better, and hopefully one day I can get a title shot.

"But if it's against BJ, I'd find that really difficult. I need my opponents to be my enemies. I don't touch gloves with any of my opponents, and if I fought BJ that would have to stay the same, but it wouldn't be out of disrespect.

"He and Anderson Silva are so technically gifted, but the difference is that BJ would never do what Anderson did against Demian Maia."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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