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B.J. Penn: ‘I Really Would Like to See James Toney Do Good Out There’

The spotlight should belong to B.J. Penn and Frankie Edgar at UFC 118, where the two will be facing off in a rematch to determine the UFC lightweight champion. But as the event moves closer, much of the intrigue has centered around boxer-turned-MMA fighter James Toney, who makes his octagon debut against five-time UFC champ Randy Couture on the same night.

Unlike some MMA purists though, Penn is unbothered by the presence of the pugilistic great. In fact, the laid-back Hawaiian is one of the few in the MMA world who's openly voiced a desire to see Toney perform well.

"I really would like to see James Toney do good out there," Penn said. "You know what? If Randy goes in there and runs over James Toney in five seconds, I don't think that does anything. I look for ways to try to build the sport, ways to put more fans in the seats and more money in our pockets. I want to see James Toney go in there and do good."