Kevin Iole: Despite record, Bonnar is UFC Hall of Fame worthy
Stephan Bonnar’s 2005 fight with Forrest Griffin in the TUF finale remains one of the seminal moments in the sport’s…
Stephan Bonnar’s 2005 fight with Forrest Griffin in the TUF finale remains one of the seminal moments in the sport’s history. UFC president Dana White has frequently said the company may not have survived had Bonnar and Griffin not engaged in that epic back-and-forth battle that, in many ways, began to open Americans’ eyes to what the sport was about.
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That fight with Griffin was hardly a one-night thing for Bonnar, though. Bonnar comes out of most of his fights drenched in blood, looking as if he were the old-time pro wrestling heel, Abdullah the Butcher. He’s always willing to take three to give one. He’d beam at the end of fights, drenched in blood and sweat, reveling in the crowd’s roars after each breathtaking slugfest.
Despite just a 6-6 record in UFC competition, he’s done enough with his legendary fights, his charismatic personality, his quick wit and his television work to merit an induction into the UFC Hall of Fame one day. A Hall of Fame is meant to honor those whose accomplishments and contributions to a sport far exceed the average and no doubt, Bonnar has done that.