UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Stephan Bonnar[/autotag], who made history as a finalist on the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” has died. He was 45.
The UFC announced the news Saturday, Christmas Eve, and cited heart complications at work as the cause of Bonnar’s death, which occurred Thursday.
A legend in the world of mixed martial arts, “The American Psycho” Bonnar served as one half of the fight many credit with turning around a then-struggling UFC. Although he lost that bout at “The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale” against Forrest Griffin in April 2005, its impact was felt for generations to come. Eventually the bout was inducted into the Fight Wing of The UFC Hall of Fame in 2013.
“Stephan Bonnar was one of the most important fighters to ever compete in the octagon,” UFC President Dana White in a statement. “His fight with Forrest Griffin changed the sport forever, and he will never be forgotten. The fans loved him, related to him, and he always gave them his best. He will be missed.”
Bonnar competed 26 times as a professional, with 15 UFC appearances and one for Bellator. He made his pro debut in 2001, with his UFC debut eight fights later. Bonnar entered the UFC at 7-1, and although he lost the fight to Griffin, he won his next three.
He split his next four at 2-2 with losses to Rashad Evans and Griffin, and subsequent wins over Mark Nickals and Eric Schaefer. Bonnar then entered a three-fight skid with defeats to Jon Jones, Marc Coleman, and Krzysztof Soszynski. He won a rematch against Soszynski before defeating Igor Pokrajac and Kyle Kingsbury.
A loss to Anderson Silva in a makeshift UFC 153 main event was his final bout for the promotion. Bonnar parted ways with the promotion after a failed drug test and claimed retirement. However, he reentered competition to fight Tito Ortiz in Bellator in 2014 and lost by split decision.
Bonnar was in the headlines intermittently following his final MMA bout. In 2019, he competed for Impact Wrestling after a two-year build on the independent pro wrestling circuit. In 2020, Bonnar briefly reentered the MMA circuit as a cornerman for fellow TUF 1 contestant Diego Sanchez. In April 2022, Bonnar had more struggles outside the cage when his house burned down.
Throughout the MMA community, Bonnar was a beloved figure for his toughness and significance to the sport. Many fighters, promoters, fans, and loved ones flocked to social media Saturday to mourn the loss of a UFC pioneer.
Scroll below to see some of those reactions.