BJ Penn’s downfall has been hard to watch. Once hailed as one of the greatest fighters to ever step foot in the Octagon, the former UFC champion has caused a lot of concern in recent years with his wave of troubling behavior and online posts. The headlines haven’t been about fights or his legacy in the MMA sphere; they’ve been about breakdowns.

Now, in the middle of ongoing court battles, Penn has spoken out again. But this time, he’s not denying the chaos. Instead, he’s calling out the people judging him for it.

The Hawaii native recently shared on Instagram, “It is what it is!”, alongside an image of him backstage at a fight with a statement that read, “We got people here judging me on stuff that would have broke them into a million f’n pieces. They would have been folded like a cheap suit in a box!”

From arrests to online rants, the MMA legend’s life outside the cage has overshadowed his legacy inside it. The most serious of these incidents came in May 2025, when reports emerged that he had been arrested for domestic violence after a confrontation at his home in Hawaii. His mother, Lorraine Shin, later obtained a restraining order, citing fears for her safety.

In court documents, Shin claimed Penn was suffering from Capgras delusional syndrome, a rare psychiatric condition where the individual believes their loved ones have been replaced by impostors.  “I believe my son [B.J. Penn] is suffering from Capgras delusional syndrome [a psychiatric disorder in which a person holds a delusion that a friend, spouse, parent, other close family member has been replaced by an identical imposter]” she told the authorities. Since then, the situation has only grown more complex.

As such, a judge later ordered BJ Penn to vacate the home he shared with his mother and to stay at least 100 yards away. But in the months that followed, Penn reportedly violated that restraining order to retrieve personal items and access his bank accounts. A missed court date led to a bench warrant. The cycle continued.

Despite the legal battles, Penn hasn’t gone quiet. He’s stayed active on social media, posting cryptic messages and, at times, attacking others. One of his controversial posts even targeted UFC bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison. Using side-by-side weigh-in photos, he suggested, without evidence, that she may not have been “even the same person”

Now, with the court battles ongoing and a restraining order in place, BJ Penn finds himself at a crossroads. Once a beloved warrior in the UFC, he’s now a polarizing figure whose words hit differently. And even UFC veterans like Chael Sonnen are now speaking up.

BJ Penn’s troubled social media posts draw a concerned response from Chael Sonnen

It’s rare to see Chael Sonnen break character. But when it comes to BJ Penn, even ‘The Bad Guy’ had to drop the act. As Penn’s downward spiral continues, Sonnen has stepped forward, not to criticize, but to ask the question no one else seems willing to

In a reel posted on Instagram, Sonnen addressed the former champion’s situation as he asked the camera, “B.J. Penn, what is going on?” Referring to Penn’s recent claims of impostors and inheritance schemes, Sonnen added, “This is not my mom. My whole family was k**ed… now there’s impostors.” It wasn’t mockery, it was confusion.

And maybe even a cry for support as he further asked, “The family does not turn their backs on B.J.; they are just a little scared, BJ’s asked for help. I would like to help him. How? How would you suggest I do that?”

So, while BJ Penn continues to speak out, what’s becoming clearer is how few are speaking back. With voices like Chael Sonnen now stepping in and asking for answers, the question shifts from criticism to concern. His legacy inside the cage remains, but it’s now tangled with headlines that have little to do with fighting.