B.J. Penn is facing legal issues once more. Tuesday’s court appearance added to the ongoing saga of legal issues facing the former UFC champion. This time, Penn faced two significant contempt warnings for not appearing at Hilo Family Court, even though he was legally obligated to be there.

On May 21, B.J. Penn failed to respond to several civil complaints filed against him, leading a judge to order him to pay $376,480. This amount includes compensatory damages for the man’s losses as well as punitive damages intended to discourage Penn from repeating his actions. A man has filed a lawsuit alleging that the former UFC champion made a number of “vitriolic, threatening, and demeaning” remarks about him.

After this incident, the whirlwind of trouble continued, as he was arrested on May 25 and 26, both times for abusing and assaulting his family members. Penn’s mother, Lorraine Shin, had already filed a restraining order against her son, and the May 26 arrest happened because he broke it. The former fighter’s alleged ongoing mental struggle with Capgras delusional syndrome — where he sees everyone around him as impostors- seems to be the case this time as well.

Penn firmly believes his mother is part of a so-called “Sabotage Squad” that’s out to get his wealth. Because of this, and in light of the ongoing restraining order filed by Lorraine Shin. According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, the Hilo Family Court judge has extended the order until Nov. 23. Penn is now required to vacate the home he shares with his mother. The court also barred him from going near his two daughters and their mother, a restriction remaining in place until 2030.

According to state court records, “Penn shall not threaten/physically abuse/psychologically abuse/maliciously damage or disturb the property/prohibited from personally contacting the other party and protected minor(s),” 

The future is uncertain for B.J. Penn as he navigates his current legal issues. Former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub has voiced his worries regarding the mental health struggles of the Hawaiian MMA star.

Brendan Schaub opens up on B.J. Penn’s situation 

B.J. Penn labeling his mother an impostor and finding himself in legal issues has certainly made headlines, and sadly, some individuals have even tried to make light of the situation. However, former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub didn’t see any humor in the matter when he addressed the ongoing situation in the Hawaiian fighter’s life.

On his YouTube channel, Schaub admitted that at first, he thought B.J. Penn’s Instagram account was just some kind of comedy bit. He said, “B.J., I just figured it was another of these ‘Real Housewives’ of MMA things, and I was like, ‘OK, he’s doing it for attention, trying to get clicks and all that bullsh*t — and it’s hilarious.’ I was like, ‘Oh God, here we go, B.J.’ And I love B.J.”

Later, Schaub revealed that he was contacted by former UFC fighter Jason “Mayhem” Miller, who explained B.J. Penn’s actual condition to him. That changed everything. Schaub said, “I was like, ‘Oh… well, you took the wind out of my sails. That’s not funny anymore. That’s not fun.’ I was going to repost it, had some jokes ready, was going to have fun with it — but it’s just more sad than anything. I figured he did this because… well, with B.J., it was never funny to me. It was always like, ‘This dude needs help. This doesn’t end well.’”

That said, only time will tell how far this situation might escalate for someone like B.J. Penn — a fighter once hailed as a true legend in the sport.