The Ultimate Fighting Championship card in Philadelphia Saturday night was a smashing success all around - except for Kenny Florian.
But the Massachusetts native might get a chance to get off the mat at a familiar setting in 2010 - Fenway Park.
Hawaiian BJ Penn successfully defended his UFC lightweight crown in the co-main event Saturday night, using the rear naked choke to make Florian tap out in the fourth round.
Penn (14-5-1) took down the Dover native about 80 seconds into the fourth round and kept the No. 1 contender on the mat. Florian (13-4) had no counter as he struggled to break loose.
Penn finally slapped on the submission move toward the end of the round and the crowd roared. Penn had the punishing move locked in, and Florian quit at 3:54.
Florian’s bid for the lightweight title was his second, having lost to Sean Sherk in 2006.
“When I woke up this morning I thought, ‘I’ve been in this thing for nine years. What the hell am I doing with myself?’ ’’ said Penn, who had been written off in his failed bid to win the welterweight title against Georges St.-Pierre in January. “But this is my dream.’’
UFC president Dana White, a Boston native, has a dream, too - to hold a card at Fenway Park by mid- to late 2010.
After Saturday night’s card, White said he’s targeting Boston for next year, and as legislation moves closer to legalizing mixed martial arts in the state he’s focusing on taking the sport to an outdoor venue, preferably Fenway Park.
White has actively worked at expanding UFC cards outside of Las Vegas, and Philly fans responded in a huge way Saturday night, going wild from the first undercard bout and proving a city known more for its boxing roots can root on fighters in the octagon.
About 17,500 fans packed the
In the other co-main event, Anderson Silva (25-4) dominated Forrest Griffin, demonstrating his bump up in weight class was the right one. Silva dropped Griffin (16-6) with a devastating right punch and a first-round knockout in a light heavyweight bout.
