Forrest Griffin breaks silence on the loss of Stephan Bonnar: ‘I’ll always miss you, brother’
Forrest Griffin will forever be linked with Stephan Bonnar. Their epic war in The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finals was a watershed moment for mixed martial arts.
The Griffin and Bonnar bout was the catalyst that propelled the UFC from the shadows into the mainstream sports arena. The fight is arguably the most pivotal moment in the fight promotion’s history. With the UFC on the verge of closing shop, Griffin and Bonnar delivered more than just an instant classic match. They delivered salvation.
Bonnar passed away at 45 on December 22. The news broke on Christmas Eve sending shockwaves throughout the MMA community. Griffin remained silent on the loss of Bonnar until Wednesday.
“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 posted on social media. “I always loved it that people got excited when they found out we were really friends. I’ll always miss you, brother.”
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. I always loved it that people got excited when they found out we were really friends. I’ll always miss you, brother. https://t.co/lXuMgRgaJV
— Forrest Griffin (@ForrestGriffin) December 28, 2022