brvheart
09-28-2006, 02:19 PM
Thought this was a interesting read.....
LUA – The Art of the Hawaiian Warrior: BJ Penn
Posted by BJPenn.com Staff Writer
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In Hawaiian tradition, Lua, the Ancient Art of the Hawaiian Warrior, teaches us that a warrior must die on his back, revealing death while in battle, rather than on his stomach, which reveals death while fleeing.
Hours before BJ Penn’s performance on September 23, 2006, the teachings of Lua were read to BJ as part of his mental preparation for his battle against Matt Hughes.
Three weeks prior to this battle, BJ was contacted to fill the position of fighting Hughes which was vacated by George St. Pierre who sustained a serious and debilitating groin injury. While BJ had just begun his training for a fight in October against Hironaka, a Japanese martial artist, he did not hesitate to accept the offer to regain the UFC welterweight championship title from the man who fortuitously held the title by default, Matt Hughes. Most fighters would not have accepted such a challenge, having only three weeks to prepare to fight a veteran fighter who consistently defended his title, losing it only once to BJ Penn. However, BJ is not just any fighter. He is a Hawaiian warrior who, knowing he had only three weeks to prepare for such a battle, willfully embraced the opportunity.
As the day came and BJ’s preparation culminated, BJ embraced the teachings of Lua as he entered the Octagon. As a true Hawaiian warrior, he was ready and prepared to face the battle, and ready and prepared to face the consequences as a true warrior should. In the true spirit of the Hawaiian warrior, BJ controlled and dominated Hughes in rounds one and two, imposing his will on Hughes through his expert warrior abilities of jiu jitsu and hand-to-hand combat. As a true Hawaiian warrior, BJ was easily able to control and immobilize his opponent, who is thought by some to be the best.
As every spectator of the Hawaiian warrior observed, BJ was dominant until he sustained a traumatizing injury to the right side of his ribs at the end of the second round when he quickly contorted and extended his body to take Hughes’ back (similar to a sprinter tearing his hamstring). This move caused BJ’s ribs to separate, resulting in an immediate constriction of the right lung and an immediate reduction of his oxygen intake. As the second round came to a conclusion, the great Hawaiian warrior did not tell his corner of the trauma, because, as Lua tells us, the warrior must continue to fight and die on his back. Had BJ expressed such trauma, his corner would have intervened and the battle would have been concluded for another day. However, BJ entered the third round unafraid and willing to endure the battle he accepted in the manner Lua commands. As fate would have it, the Hawaiian warrior’s quest ended in the spirit of Lua, not for another day, but in battle.
To all of those who believe in BJ Penn and the teachings of Lua, the Hawaiian warrior’s quest continues and BJ Penn will return to battle to regain what is his.
LUA – The Art of the Hawaiian Warrior: BJ Penn
Posted by BJPenn.com Staff Writer
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Hawaiian tradition, Lua, the Ancient Art of the Hawaiian Warrior, teaches us that a warrior must die on his back, revealing death while in battle, rather than on his stomach, which reveals death while fleeing.
Hours before BJ Penn’s performance on September 23, 2006, the teachings of Lua were read to BJ as part of his mental preparation for his battle against Matt Hughes.
Three weeks prior to this battle, BJ was contacted to fill the position of fighting Hughes which was vacated by George St. Pierre who sustained a serious and debilitating groin injury. While BJ had just begun his training for a fight in October against Hironaka, a Japanese martial artist, he did not hesitate to accept the offer to regain the UFC welterweight championship title from the man who fortuitously held the title by default, Matt Hughes. Most fighters would not have accepted such a challenge, having only three weeks to prepare to fight a veteran fighter who consistently defended his title, losing it only once to BJ Penn. However, BJ is not just any fighter. He is a Hawaiian warrior who, knowing he had only three weeks to prepare for such a battle, willfully embraced the opportunity.
As the day came and BJ’s preparation culminated, BJ embraced the teachings of Lua as he entered the Octagon. As a true Hawaiian warrior, he was ready and prepared to face the battle, and ready and prepared to face the consequences as a true warrior should. In the true spirit of the Hawaiian warrior, BJ controlled and dominated Hughes in rounds one and two, imposing his will on Hughes through his expert warrior abilities of jiu jitsu and hand-to-hand combat. As a true Hawaiian warrior, BJ was easily able to control and immobilize his opponent, who is thought by some to be the best.
As every spectator of the Hawaiian warrior observed, BJ was dominant until he sustained a traumatizing injury to the right side of his ribs at the end of the second round when he quickly contorted and extended his body to take Hughes’ back (similar to a sprinter tearing his hamstring). This move caused BJ’s ribs to separate, resulting in an immediate constriction of the right lung and an immediate reduction of his oxygen intake. As the second round came to a conclusion, the great Hawaiian warrior did not tell his corner of the trauma, because, as Lua tells us, the warrior must continue to fight and die on his back. Had BJ expressed such trauma, his corner would have intervened and the battle would have been concluded for another day. However, BJ entered the third round unafraid and willing to endure the battle he accepted in the manner Lua commands. As fate would have it, the Hawaiian warrior’s quest ended in the spirit of Lua, not for another day, but in battle.
To all of those who believe in BJ Penn and the teachings of Lua, the Hawaiian warrior’s quest continues and BJ Penn will return to battle to regain what is his.