Former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion BJ Penn was just as shocked as the rest of the world when he found out this afternoon that GSP was injured and subsequently forced to withdraw from his main event bout set for UFC 137.

When the news finally caught up to Penn he had this to say…

“I wish GSP a healthy recovery and I’m very excited to be competing in the main event. We wish the champion well with his recovery!”

In what he has deemed one of, if not thee, very toughest challenges in his career, BJ is going to face off with former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz in next weekend’s Main Event on pay-per-view. The bout will keep its three-round time frame and fans can expect one of the best fights of the year out of the two elite 170 pounders.

While the loss of a title fight to the card is a crushing one to the fans who will be attending the event live and those watching at home, with the UFC’s ability to now stick Penn vs. Diaz in main event slot the card will not miss a beat and will be just as exciting.

The two former champions will step opposite each other on October 29 in Las Vegas to move one step closer to a title shot of their own. And with BJ Penn vs. Nick Diaz, how can you really go wrong?

“UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz” is set to take place on October 29th from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The pay-per-view event was set to feature a welterweight championship bout between George St Pierre and Carlos Condit. However GSP was forced to withdraw with a knee injury and in his place will come BJ Penn vs. Nick Diaz.

*Click here for the latest UFC 137 coverage provided by BJPENN.COM