UFC legend BJ Penn faces escalating legal troubles as the threat of jail time looms. Over the past year, his increasingly erratic behavior and bizarre online posts have turned his personal life into a public spectacle. On top of that, he claimed “impostors” replaced his mother and other family members, fueling the ex-UFC star’s violent behavior and contributing to multiple arrests last year.
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After these incidents, BJ Penn’s mother filed a restraining order against him, citing his violent tendencies. As a result, the court ordered Penn to undergo a mental health evaluation. However, Penn has refused to fully comply, prompting the court to take a firmer stance. On Monday, a Hawaii judge warned that the UFC veteran could face jail time if he continues to ignore the state-ordered mental health test.
UFC legend faces tough ultimatum from Hawaii court on pending evaluation
Back in October, the court originally required Penn to complete the evaluation before his trial could begin, but he failed to appear. In response, Penn’s attorney filed a motion asking the court to reconsider, arguing that the UFC legend voluntarily completed a mental health test last year. Prosecuting attorney Kirsten Selvih, however, rejected the test, calling it “a self-reported answer to a telephone conversation.”
Despite this, Penn has continued to maintain his refusal to undergo the full mental health examination, insisting that the test would damage his reputation and “hurt his ability to make money.” However, the judge denied his motion and issued a final warning.
“Mr. Penn, you have to get the examination done with the state-ordered examiner, and if you don’t do that, I’m going to have to consider contempt proceedings against you,” Kubota said.
BJ Penn has now made his next move, the talk of the town.
BJ Penn was arrested AGAIN yesterday morning, that is his SIXTH arrest in 2025
▫️ 1st arrest: Arrested after altercation with his 79-year-old mother
▫️ 2nd arrest: Arrested for a violation of a stay-away order from his mother
▫️ 3rd arrest: Arrested for failing to appear in… pic.twitter.com/647joBEGAE— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) November 5, 2025
Back in January, he voiced his dissatisfaction with his lawyer and asked Judge Peter Kubota to replace his attorney, placing the blame on his legal counsel while entering his plea. In an even bigger request, BJ Penn also asked the judge to remove himself from the case and appoint a different judge.
The judge, however, advised Penn to discuss the matter with his attorney, which led the court to grant him an extension until February 23 to complete his mental health test. Still, he failed to meet that deadline.
Non-involved lawyer comments on BJ Penn’s ongoing court issues
With the judge’s final warning, BJ Penn is left with little choice but to comply with the court’s order. In addition, another defense attorney, who is not involved in the lawsuit, has now weighed in, emphasizing the sensitivity of mental health concerns in criminal court and their impact on public perception.
“It’s actually very difficult to assess from the public’s viewing at this point,” Nardi said. “I think probably the two most critical documents that would help kind of understand what’s going on, one filed by the prosecutor and then one filed by Mr. Penn’s own attorney, both of those were filed under seal.”
At 47, BJ Penn now faces a crossroads in his career as he navigates the ongoing lawsuit. This is not his first brush with the law, as he has faced legal troubles more than six times in total, in addition to his family dispute and assault charges. Still, how Penn will handle this legal battle remains uncertain, and fans continue to watch closely. For now, stay tuned for further updates.