Griffin vs Bonnar 1 May Have Literally Saved The UFC From Collapse

Published on November 23rd, 2024 5:41 pm EST
Written By: Dave Manuel


In 2001, Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta bought the UFC on the recommendation of their friend, Dana White.

By 2005, the investment wasn't going well, as the promotion was drowning in red ink. There was legitimate talk that the Fertitta brothers were going to pull the plug, as they were tired of losing money.

An idea was pitched - a reality TV show that centered around mixed martial arts fighters.

The Fertitta brothers were initially hesitant to do the show, as it would cost them more money. In a last-ditch effort to save the company, the brothers decided to move forward with a season of a TV show that was called "The Ultimate Fighter".

The show featured 16 mixed martial arts fighters in two different weight classes.

One of those weight classes was Light Heavyweight, which featured the 9-2 Forrest Griffin and 9-1 Stephan Bonnar.

The two men squared off in the light heavyweight final, with a six-figure contract in the UFC on the line.

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The final, which took place on April 9th, 2005, is considered one of the greatest MMA fights of all time.

Griffin and Bonnar threw caution to the window for three rounds, engaging in a hellacious fight that had viewers on the edges of their seats.

Neither man wilted under the pressure - both continued to trade leather until the final bell.

As the fight progressed, the number of people watching increased. The Internet was abuzz with talk of the fight and people quickly turned on their TVs to take in the action.

By the time the fight was over, millions more people were watching than at the beginning of the fight. Griffin vs Bonnar would be watched hundreds of millions of times over the next 20 years.

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UFC President Dana White said that the Griffin vs Bonnar I fight, which was eventually won by Griffin via unanimous decision, was the most important fight in the history of the promotion.

If the fight had been a dud, there is a very good chance that the Fertitta brothers would have pulled the plug on their investment and walked away.

Instead, the promotion was re-energized as Griffin vs Bonnar was the talk of the fight world.

As a result of the increased interest in the UFC, the Fertittas decided to keep funding the company.

Over the next couple of years, the promotion would really start to take off, thanks to the emergence of a number of superstars such as Georges St. Pierre, Brock Lesnar and Anderson Silva.

The Fertittas would end up selling the UFC for $4 billion, realizing a 2,000x return on their initial investment.

If it weren't for Griffin vs Bonnar, the Fertittas almost certainly never would have realized the massive payday.