Forrest Griffin Opens Up On Stephan Bonnar After Tragic Death

Former UFC lightweight champion Forrest Griffin has spoken about the tragic death of Stephan Bonnar. The MMA community was shocked at the death of Bonar two weeks ago, as UFC announced in its statement.

Bonnar and Griffin were part of one of the greatest UFC fights in history in The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 finale. It was a rollercoaster bout throughout with the 43-year-old securing the win. The UFC Hall of Famer hasn’t just referred to Bonnar as a rival, but also as a great friend.

“Stephan was a lot of things: He was always the most interesting person in the room, he had the biggest heart and most importantly, he was my friend,” Griffin said.

“I always loved it that people got excited when they found out we were really friends. I’ll always miss you, brother.”

The pair contested a rematch at UFC 62, and the result once again went in favor of the younger American. Despite the two defeats off the 43-year-old, Bonnar went on to contest against some of the all-time greats, such as Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, and Mark Coleman.

Meanwhile, Griffin used the Bonnar victory as a stepping stone to winning the lightweight title against Rampage Jackson at UFC 86. He also secured wins against Tito Ortiz and Rich Franklin respectively.