Nothing that happens in the Octagon will change the name on the marquee.

UFC Gym B.J. Penn celebrates its official grand opening today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Kaka‘ako at the former Pipeline Cafe.

The 37,000-square-foot facility, complete with a full-sized Octagon cage in the middle of an expansive collection of workout machines, free weights and fitness and mat rooms, is the fifth UFC gym to open to the public and first outside California.

The gym was made possible by — and named for — the former two-division UFC champion, who will fight for the first time in more than a year on Dec. 8 against Rory MacDonald at UFC on Fox 5 at a location to be determined.

For today however, Penn is focused on the opening of the brand-new UFC gym, which includes autograph and Q&A sessions featuring Penn, current UFC stars Mark Munoz, Brendan Schaub and Anthony Pettis, StrikeForce contender Josh Thompson and UFC hall of famer Chuck Liddell.

Demonstrations and entertainment will be featured throughout the day, with interested members able to begin open workouts at 5 p.m.

"I’ve got to say this is an amazing gym," Penn said on Friday. "I come in here and I was telling them I’ve never even seen (certain) machines until I started working out here."

Penn shared his input on the design, opting for bigger mat rooms to give jiu-jitsu practitioners like himself more room to work.

It could come in handy in the near future as Penn begins preparations for his 22nd UFC fight.

Originally set for UFC 151 next month, the fight was pushed back to December after MacDonald (13-1) suffered a cut in training, requiring 38 stitches.

Penn (16-8-2), who announced his retirement following a loss to Nick Diaz last October, said he feels like he still has something to prove.

"I’ve got some things I want to change and make better," said Penn, who is 1-3-1 in his last five fights. "I think fighting at this weight of 170 (pounds), I’m really going to try to get in tremendous condition, even at a weight of maybe 180 pounds and 7 percent body fat — I’m going to shoot for something like that.

"I want to be one of the bigger and stronger guys in the division."

Penn has long carried the torch among Hawaii fighters in the UFC but might soon have company.

Waianae’s Max Holloway scored a TKO victory in the opening pay-per-view fight at UFC 150 last Saturday, prompting a tweet from UFC president Dana White that read, "Hawaii is back!!!! Max Holloway is talented!!!!"

Penn hopes the opening of the new Oahu gym will help more kids like Holloway realize their MMA dreams.

"Athletes from here do real well in the grappling and martial arts competitions and it’s going to be nice to see the next generation coming up," the 33-year-old father of two daughters said before pausing.

"It won’t be long though. The next generation is here now."

Despite all the local interest in MMA, the UFC has yet to hold an event in Hawaii. Aloha Stadium has been rumored as a potential site for years, but it might take a couple of good performances from Hawaii’s top fighter to make it a reality.

"I think it’ll happen one day," Penn said. "But I better go and start winning some fights if I want to do a fight here."

No matter how Penn’s career pans out from here, one thing that won’t change is the name on the gym marquee that each member will see as they walk into the facility.

"Some days you think nothing surprises you anymore and other times I’m thinking I can’t believe this journey and how it went down," he said. "This is one of those things."