Friday, January 18, 2008

UFC to Allow Special Rules for Penn vs. Stevenson Bout

In an effort to make the bout more competitive, the UFC has decided to allow special rules for Saturday's UFC 80 lighweight championship contest between BJ Penn and Joe Stevenson, a Zuffa official announced yesterday. For the first frame of the five-rounder, Stevenson will be allowed to utilize a prehistoric weapon, i.e., a large stone or club. If the fight goes into the second round, Stevenson will be allowed to incorporate a medieval melee weapon of his choice, up to and including a longsword, battle axe or flail. In the unlikely event that the bout lasts into the third round or beyond, the TUF2 winner will then have the option of shooting Penn with either a taser or a low-caliber handgun. "We didn't want anyone dying," said the Zuffa official, who asked to remain anonymous. "I mean, otherwise, BJ would kill Stevenson. At least this way Stevenson has a chance."