Bonnar: There is no pressure on me

“I was thinking about it; if I win this fight, how am I ever going to top that?” Bonnar said. “It’s been hard enough trying to top the (first) Forrest fight all these years. Then if I freaking beat Anderson Silva, talk about a perfect storybook ending to a career.”

Not so fast, though.

“Then on the other side, if I beat Anderson Silva, then voila – I could probably get that coaching gig with Forrest, I could probably get a new contract and get paid a lot of money to fight,” he said. “It’s an interesting dilemma, but one that I’m pretty thankful to be close to having – or just have the opportunity to have.”

Of course, a win over Silva would give Bonnar four straight at light heavyweight – with the most recent being against the man many consider the greatest ever to strap on gloves. White believes he’s the greatest, which is the opinion that may matter most. So if Bonnar beats the greatest, what’s left? Perhaps a rematch with light-heavyweight champ Jones, whom Bonnar took to a decision three and a half years ago, but this time, with a possible title on the line (provided Jones beats Vitor Belfort on Saturday)?

“Wow. You know what? I didn’t even think of that,” Bonnar said.

It’s a little more proof of just how quickly this scenario has unfolded for Bonnar. Out of nowhere came a life-changing megafight at 35 years old, right as he’s ready to wind his career down.

Bonnar knows the consensus is that he doesn’t stand a chance – even though he never has been stopped, save for two TKOs thanks to cuts. There’s a camp that sees Bonnar going all three rounds with Silva, coming forward the whole time, and leaving a bit bloodied up. But there isn’t a very big camp that sees Bonnar winning.

For Bonnar, all the better.

“I don’t care, though. I feel great about this,” he said. “There’s no pressure on me. I’m fighting the pound-for-pound best guy in his backyard. I’m a record-setting underdog. It’s a good light-and-free feeling.”

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