Former UFC two-division champion and MMA legend BJ Penn recently sparked widespread concern with a shocking claim on social media. In a video posted to his official Instagram account, Penn alleged that his mother had been murdered and replaced by a clone. Not a crime thriller folks! In the video, ‘The Prodigy’ showed an elderly woman, who appeared to be his mother, going about her routine in the kitchen with a stern expression. Penn insisted that this woman had been planted in his home to steal the Penn family’s fortune.

The MMA community has reacted with alarm and concern. Many fear for both Penn and his mother, particularly if the former lightweight and welterweight champ is convinced that his own mother is an imposter. The potential consequences have left fans deeply unsettled, with Penn’s mental state now a major concern. However, some observers remain skeptical. Notably, former UFC star and verbose analyst Chael Sonnen suggested that Penn may be staging an elaborate act.

“BJ has come out, he wants this woman, claiming to be his mother, to be arrested for being an imposter. And they have replaced her with a quasi-lookalike. Like BJ knows it’s not her but the rest of the world doesn’t. Oh, by the way, what is the motive for this? Well, this new woman is also going to make a claim to the family’s assets. If that’s not the goddamnest story that I’ve ever heard, it’s definitely the damnedest story I’ve ever told you.” ‘The Bad Guy’ said in a recent video.

“I just know that I have seen BJ perform before. And he’s a very good performer. That would break my heart if this were true. It was 2008 when this happened, was it a letter BJ claimed that he revived, but it was from George [St-Pierre’s] team, no plant in George St-Pierre’s team? I knew the whole thing was a work and I’ve known him too long. I’ve fought with BJ’s promotion, he’s been to Team Quest. We trained together, like, it’s different. Now if there’s something more sinister here that we have to deal with, perhaps I’ll have to come back and do a rebuttal to this. But for now, you’re dealing with a very smart guy who was a promoter himself at one point. Before you go check BJ into the insane asylum, make sure it’s not you that’s being the fool,” he added.

A few things stand out in Sonnen’s take. One, he doesn’t know anything other than everyone else. ‘Uncle Chael’ is also going off what he saw in Penn’s video. But he hasn’t been in contact with the retired two-division champion or hasn’t heard something from someone close to Penn.

And two, the Oregon native’s reasoning for claiming it may all be an act is that Penn used to be a promoter and because Sonnen knows when Penn is performing, whatever that means. The only problem with ‘Uncle Chael’s reasoning is that Penn doesn’t have anything to promote at the moment. He isn’t set to fight anyone, launch any products, or be in talks with a promotion to get on their roster. Why would he gain by acting insane? Or, maybe there is another explanation for Penn’s mental health issues.

Many feel BJ Penn’s issues stem from his trailblazing UFC career

BJ Penn has now deleted the video where he accused his mother of being a clone. What has been going on with him since that video was posted earlier this week also remains unknown. But if he is not acting, it means that the former champ is having some mental health issues and needs some help. Penn, of course, fought in the UFC for eighteen years from 2001 to 2019.

He was among the early-2000s crop of fighters who got the ball rolling and helped establish the UFC as the best MMA promotion in the world. His brilliance is a large part of the reason that UFC’s lightweight division became (and remains) the most vaunted in the entire sport.