Who is B.J. Penn? UFC Hall of Famer arrested on assault charge in Hawaii in his 6th arrest this year

Former UFC star B.J. Penn has been arrested and charged for allegedly beating up a man, Hawai’i Police claimed.

Published on: Nov 6, 2025, 13:36:50 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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Former UFC star B.J. Penn has landed in legal trouble again in Hawaii. He was arrested and charged for allegedly beating up a man on Tuesday morning, November 4, a news release issued by Hawai’i Police claimed.

Who is B.J. Penn? UFC Hall of Famer arrested on assault charge in Hawaii in his 6th arrest this year (Hawaii Island Police)

Police arrived at a home in Hilo, Hawaii, at 1 pm following reports of an assault. A man, 45, told cops that Penn had “punched and kicked him multiple times before the alleged victim was able to leave the area and contact police.” The victim was later treated for his injuries at Hilo Benioff Medical Center.

“At 11:50 a.m., officers located Penn on Lehua Street in Hilo, where he was arrested without incident. He was charged with third-degree assault and his bail was set at $1,000, which he later posted,” says the release. “Penn is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on Dec. 2, at 1 p.m. in Hilo District Court.”

Police have urged anyone with information about the incident to contact Officer Chester Franco of South Hilo Patrol at (808) 935-3311, or via email at chester.franco@hawaiicounty.gov.

B.J. Penn’s previous run-ins with the law

This is not the first time Penn, 46, has landed in legal trouble. This year, he was arrested as many as five times over a period of four months, related to an ongoing family dispute.

Penn’s last arrest took place in September after he violated a court-ordered restraining order that his mother, Lorraine Shin, had granted against him, as reported by the New York Post.

Penn, a former fighter, alleged that his family had been replaced by impostors after being killed. His first arrest this year came in May on family abuse charges after he allegedly pushed his mother into a car.

Who is B.J. Penn?

Penn, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu prodigy, became the first non-Brazilian to win the black belt division of the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship. He later made the jump to MMA.

Penn notably debuted at UFC 31, and later went on to take hold of the UFC Welterweight championship in 2004 and the lightweight championship in 2008.

Penn, whose last UFC bout came during UFC 237 on May 11, 2019, was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2015.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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