The story of B.J. Penn has taken another turn. Once adored by fans, Penn now finds himself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. His latest arrest marks the fifth time this year he has been taken into custody in Hawaii. As per reports, this time, the charges came after Penn violated a restraining order filed by his own mother.

The UFC Hall of Famer is now caught in a personal storm that grows heavier with every passing month. But as troubling as the situation looks, another UFC legend, Chael Sonnen, has offered his perspective, and instead of piling on criticism, ‘The Bad Guy’ urged fans to take a different approach.

Speaking on a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen shared, “I really want you to hear that because when these stories on BJ are coming out, I don’t want you to be afraid to click on them. I don’t want you to be afraid to share them. BJ himself is very accessible. I don’t want you to be afraid to strike up a conversation with BJ through something called direct message. And if you’ve got a level of advice to add it, if you want to just provide him with some company, go ahead.”

The former fighter insisted that, despite headlines, Penn isn’t fueled by anger or plotting revenge. Instead, according to him, Penn is trying to make sense of what’s happening around him. “I’m just trying to share the other side of isolating BJ as a way of punishing BJ for the idea that BJ is going to eventually punish you, that’s actually just not a piece of this. However, we got to where we are and whatever ingredients have been put in, whatever facts, whatever accusations, whatever assumptions, that’s not a piece of it.”

According to reports, BJ Penn was arrested on Sept. 15 after entering a property in Hilo in violation of a court order. He was later charged and released on $2,000 bail. The restraining order, requested by his mother, Lorraine Shin, requires Penn to stay at least 100 yards from her home and forbids contact. It was put in place after repeated altercations, including prior arrests for reported ab**e of a family or household member earlier this year.

For fans who grew up watching ‘The Prodigy’ win UFC titles in two divisions, the fall from grace is heartbreaking. But Chael Sonnen continued in his YouTube video by stating, “There is not an angry, premeditating, plotting BJ out there. The story, the way that you’ve got it is the entire thing. That’s it.”

But what does that mean for the future? Because this latest incident is just another part of BJ Penn’s ongoing legacy, as his legacy now teeters on being overshadowed by arrests, restraining orders, and erratic behavior.

BJ Penn’s restraining order extended for a full year

At the center of it all is his mother, Lorraine Shin, who has accused the former UFC champion of “extreme psychological ab***.” According to her, Penn has convinced himself that his family has been “k***d” and replaced by impostors. In response, the courts extended a restraining order against him until May 26, 2026, a full year after it was first granted.

The allegations go back months.  As per reports, Shin told police she returned from a trip to find her bedroom stripped of belongings. Penn denied involvement, but soon after, she reported her purse missing from a safe. She claimed he tampered with her security system also, covering cameras with duct tape and even putting glue in a deadbolt to block her entry.

Tensions escalated further when Shin accused her son of stealing mail. She said she spotted the letters inside a vehicle linked to one of BJ Penn’s friends. When she confronted him, the 46-year-old allegedly denied everything, grabbed her arms, and shoved her against the car. Shin recalled screaming for help until her other son, Reagan Penn, came to her aid.

That altercation led to Penn’s first arrest on ab*** allegations, followed by a 48-hour order to stay away from his mother. But Shin claims he returned almost immediately. Police reviewed video evidence she provided, which resulted in his second arrest in as many days.

In her statement to authorities, Shin expressed fear for her safety and suggested BJ Penn suffers from Capgras delusional syndrome, a rare psychiatric disorder where a person believes loved ones have been replaced by impostors. Although the latest arrest ended without violence, it added yet another chapter to a troubling pattern, one that now overshadows the fighter once celebrated as ‘The Prodigy.’