Mother’s Day is usually a time for reflection, gratitude, and love. But for MMA legend BJ Penn, it became a stage for confusion, anger, and deeply unsettling claims. The former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion took to Instagram with a post that immediately raised red flags across the MMA world.
Instead of the usual Mother’s Day tribute, Penn delivered a barrage of accusations, profanity, and conspiratorial statements that painted a troubling picture of his state of mind.
In the caption for the post, the Hawaiian wrote, “F—you fake JD, fake Reagan fake Jay, fake AJ LJ MJ. F— you to any impostors that are doing this to anyone else’s family! What all of you m—– theiving f—- need to do is walk upstairs, take off your clothes, lay down in bed, get under the covers and GO F—- YOURSELVES”
And that was only the beginning. In the image that accompanied the post, Penn continued his tirade by writing, “This Mother’s Day I Wanna Give A Shot Out TO Me For Staying Strong Through All The B— & Drama. Miss you Mom, Pop, Jay Dee, Jodi, Reagan, Jay, Christina, Kalani, AJ, LJ, MJ. F—- you Judge Maria Penn, Gary Levitt, Fake Lorraine and Anyone Close Helping These Mask C— M—– & Steal From Me.”
To say the posts shocked the MMA community would be an understatement. But beneath the rage and expletives is a man seemingly unraveling. These aren’t new claims. Over the past months, Penn has published several videos claiming his mother, Lorraine Shin, and brothers were replaced by impostors. He’s shared what he believes is “proof”, pointing to the differences in teeth, facial structures, and even requesting close-up photos from family to confirm their identity.
It’s heartbreaking. But sadly, not unfamiliar. Combat sports history is filled with stories of legends lost in the aftermath of glory. Like many fighters, BJ Penn took brutal damage over the years. Repeated head trauma, coupled with public struggles with alcohol, street fights, DUIs, and even a failed run for Hawaii governor, paint a disturbing arc of decline.
While he hasn’t fought professionally since 2019, his current battle appears far more serious and much more personal. Despite the chaos, many hold on to hope that ‘The Prodigy’ could turn things around, including another UFC veteran who didn’t realize the gravity of the situation when it was first brought to light.
BJ Penn’s public meltdown leads to Brendan Schaub imploring the UFC legend to “get help”
Brendan Schaub thought it was just another weird moment in MMA. A post from B.J. Penn, wild and strange, like many before it. Drama sells, and Schaub figured Penn was just stirring the pot again. But what happens when the drama turns into a cry for help?
Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former UFC heavyweight confessed, “‘OK, he’s doing it for attention and get clicks and all that bull— and it’s hilarious. ‘I was like, ‘Oh, God. Here we go, B.J.’ And I love B.J. It never hurts my feelings. I don’t take any of it personal ever. People love drama in MMA.”
But the laughter stopped when Jason “Mayhem” Miller called. Miller, no stranger to post-fight chaos himself, gave Schaub a dose of reality. Penn wasn’t joking. It wasn’t just another bizarre outburst as Schaub revealed, “I was going to repost it, and I had some jokes, and have fun with it, but it’s just more sad than anything.”
The story mirrors what we’ve seen before. Jason Miller’s own unraveling, marked by arrests and violent outbursts, warns of what happens when ex-fighters are left to fight their demons alone. Even Nick Diaz has shared his battles with depression and paranoia publicly. As such, Schaub, in a moment of honesty, stated, “Still a fan. Still love him, but I definitely want to get him help if he’s open to it.”
In the end, BJ Penn’s downward spiral is not just his own, it’s a reflection of the sport that asks everything in exchange for glory. CTE, brain damage, years of trauma, these are the unseen wounds of war in the Octagon. And the question becomes, will this controversy eventually overshadow the legacy BJ Penn wrote in blood and sweat inside the cage? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
The post MMA Legend BJ Penn Makes Disturbing Mother’s Day Post appeared first on EssentiallySports.
