BJ PENN’S SCHEDULED return to the UFC is in doubt after an injury forced Dennis Siver to withdraw from their featherweight bout, which was set to take place at UFC 199 on 4 June.
Penn, a former lightweight and welterweight champion with the organisation, hasn’t fought since losing to Frankie Edgar in July 2014.
According to BJPenn.com, the UFC is searching for a new opponent to face the 37-year-old in Inglewood next month, but an Irish fighter has already offered his services.
Straight Blast Gym’s Artem Lobov, who was born in Russia but has lived in Dublin since 2002, took to Twitter this morning to respectfully throw his name in the hat for the opportunity to take on a legend of mixed martial arts. Lobov is even offering to donate half of his earnings from the potential fight to charity.
“If you let me fight you I will donate 50% of my purse to charity,” Lobov tweeted to Penn. “Let’s have a fight and help those in need.”
Lobov impressed with three KO victories on a season of The Ultimate Fighter last year, but the 29-year-old went 0-2 in the UFC after exiting the house, suffering decision losses to Ryan Hall and Alex White which have left him in danger of being cut from the roster.
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