BJ Penn, UFC Hall of Famer, charged with third-degree assault in sixth arrest of 2025 - Check out his past run-ins with Hawaii Police

UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn has been charged with third-degree assault following his sixth arrest of 2025 in Hawaii, continuing a troubling pattern of legal issues for the former MMA star. According to a news release issued by Hawaii Police, as quoted by New York Post, Penn has been arrested and charged for allegedly assaulting a man early Tuesday morning.

Police responded to a reported assault at a home in Hilo, Hawaii, around 1 AM Tuesday, where a 45-year-old man told officers that Penn had 'punched and kicked him multiple times' before he managed to escape and alert authorities.

"The victim later sought medical treatment for his injuries at Hilo Benioff Medical Center," stated the release.


Police found Penn later on Lehua Street in Hilo, where he was taken into custody without incident. His bail was set at $1,000, which he later posted. Penn is scheduled to appear in Hilo District Court for his initial hearing on December 2.


According to the New York Post, Tuesday’s incident marks Penn’s latest brush with the law this year, following five prior arrests within a four-month span tied to an ongoing family dispute. His most recent arrest occurred in September for allegedly violating a court-issued restraining order obtained by his mother, Lorraine Shin.

Last month, a judge ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation following multiple arrests and increasingly erratic behavior, ESPN reported. Penn is expected to appear in court regarding that evaluation in January. Much of the controversy surrounding the MMA legend has reportedly stemmed from his claims that 'imposters' have replaced his family members.

In April, Penn made headlines after publicly urging the Hilo Police Department to investigate what he described as the murders of his real relatives, alleging that 'fake frauds' were attempting to steal his family’s identity and property.

Once celebrated as one of the sport’s most talented and fearless fighters, a former two-division UFC champion, has struggled with multiple legal and personal challenges since retiring from competition, casting a shadow over his once-storied MMA legacy.

Penn retired from mixed martial arts in 2019, closing out his career on a seven-fight losing streak that stretched from 2011 to 2019 and included three defeats by knockout. Penn, who last competed in the Octagon at UFC 237 on May 11, 2019, was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2015.