At UFC 80 today, B.J. Penn defeated Joe Stevenson to win the vacant UFC lightweight title. And afterward, Penn didn't waste a lot of time in looking forward to defending his title.
In his post-fight interview in the Octagon, Penn immediately called out Sean Sherk, the former lightweight champion who was stripped of his title when he tested positive for steroids. Penn has previously said it's "obvious" Sherk used steroids, and he told Sherk today that Sherk is dead meat when they fight. (UFC has already ruled that when Sherk's steroid suspension is finished, he'll take on Penn for the lightweight belt.)
Sherk was on hand, and he was asked what he thought about being called out. He answered, "I don't have any respect for B.J." That led the crowd to boo Sherk, and Sherk told the fans, "You guys can boo all you want. I don't care. That belt still belongs to me."
But the fact is, the belt doesn't belong to Sherk. The belt belongs to Penn because Sherk used steroids. He cheated. It's that simple. The fans know it, which is why Sherk was lustily booed, and Penn, not Sherk, is the true champion.
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