BJ Penn Is Running For Office

BJ Penn is running for office again.

The former UFC lightweight champion and Hall of Famer has entered the race for Hawaii's District 1 council seat.

Penn was arrested five separate times in 2025. The charges and their outcomes have not been fully detailed publicly, but the sheer volume of run-ins with law enforcement painted a troubling picture of a man whose post-fighting life has unravelled significantly since his days as one of the sport's most celebrated competitors.

Penn's own mother has filed a restraining order against him, alleging she was subjected to severe psychological abuse at her son's hands. In her account, she describes a man gripped by what she believes is an extreme delusional syndrome.

“I believe my son [B.J. Penn] is suffering from Capgras delusional syndrome (a psychiatric disorder in which a person holds a delusion that a friend, spouse, parent, other close family member has been replaced by an identical imposter). He believes I’m an imposter who has killed his family to gain control of the family assets.

“In the best interest for my safety, I ask the court for a six-month [temporary restraining order] and have my son ordered to get medical treatment or other source of therapy.”

And yet Penn is moving forward. This is not his first time seeking elected office — he ran for governor of Hawaii in 2022, a campaign that generated headlines more for his personal situation than any policy platform. The District 1 council seat represents a more modest target, but the circumstances surrounding the candidacy are no less extraordinary.