B.J. Penn hires Mike Dolce to prepare for UFC fight with Frankie Edgar

Photo by Ken Pishna, courtesy of MMAWeekly.com

B.J. Penn has never been a big fan of cutting weight. But if anyone is going to get him on the horse, it’s Mike Dolce.

The nutrition and conditioning specialist recently made an announcement on his website that he would be flying out to Hilo, Hawaii this week help Penn in his cut to featherweight for the upcoming Frankie Edgar fight.

“BJ Penn is the greatest mixed martial artist of all time,” Dolce said. “He is a legend, a two-division world champion as a 170-pound welterweight and a 155-pound lightweight that has been fighting professionally before most athletes even knew what MMA or the UFC was. It is a great honor to join B.J. on his journey back into the Octagon and, in my opinion, to make history as the first ever three-division world champion in our sport.”

Penn most recently fought four fights at 170 pounds, going 1-2-1 in that stretch. Since then, it wasn’t clear if Penn would return to fighting, giving the impression that he may have fought his last fight in the UFC.

After conversations with UFC President Dana White, however, Penn indicated to the executive that he wanted to work his way back to a rematch with Edgar. The UFC was happy to oblige “The Prodigy,” booking him and Edgar as the next coaches for the UFC’s reality series, “The Ultimate Fighter.” The two will coach the next season of fighters, which is tentatively scheduled to broadcast in April 2014. Once the season ends, the two fighters will battle in a yet-to-be announced fight card.

The way Dolce sees it, the third go-around with Edgar isn’t going to be easy, and he’s more than willing to offer his expertise to an eager Penn.

“First thing’s first,” Dolce said. “We have a very tough Frankie Edgar standing in our way and in speaking to B.J., that is exactly the way he wants it. I will be flying out to Hilo, Hawaii this week to begin growing my relationship with B.J. and offer my skills to his camp.”