The Prodigy's got no bottle - Sherk
by Ben Blackmore, 04 May 2008
Sean Sherk has turned up the heat on BJ Penn by predicting the UFC lightweight champion will bottle his big moment at "UFC 84: ILL WILL".
Sherk questioned "The Prodigy's" mental ability when he comes under severe pressure, and he promised not to take a single backwards step in a bid to reclaim his lightweight title.
For Sherk, May 24 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena provides his chance for redemption, after a positive drugs test saw him stripped of his belt.
"I got told I had tested positive for nandralone, and at that time I had never heard of nandralone before," insists a straight-talking Sherk.
"I still feel like that belt belongs to me. If you want to be the champ you have to beat the champ - and BJ didn't beat me."
Pre-fight talk has already billed the fight as Penn's ability against Sherk's conditioning, with the latter being written off in certain quarters unless he can take the fight past three rounds.
A wrestling expert, Sherk insists he has no intentions of slowing the fight - insisting he is ready to break Penn's 'fragile' mindset.
"I've got just as much natural ability as he has, the difference is I have the mental ability and the heart. After fight night you'll see that.
"I'm gonna make him quit. I'm gonna come at him hard, I'll get right up in his face and I'm gonna fight.
"Mentally I think he's got some quit in him, I've seen it. If you push him, he'll quit."
And Sherk (35-2-1) promised UFC fans they are about to see a side of him they have never witnessed before.
"This fight is personal. He's said a lot of things about me that aren't true. He's talked a lot of smack. BJ's the kind of guy who has to hate you to fight you.
"This will be the first time that I fight someone who I have a problem with."