After Forrest Griffin’s impromptu retirement announcement during the UFC 160 post-fight presser, Dana White announced that Griffin, along with Stephan Bonnar, would be headed for the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.
Yes, Griffin and Bonnar took part in that epic battle to decide the winner of the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter. Yes, they helped put the UFC on the map with their amazing effort that night at The Cox Pavillion, and on SPIKE TV. Griffin won by unanimous decision; both fighters would earn six-figure contracts. It was the UFC’s first big step in crossing over into mainstream status and acceptance.
The memories and the nostalgia from the night of April 9, 2005, would stay attached to those two—as they would stay attached to each other—for the rest of their respected careers.
The sole reason and most important criteria for these two fighter’s impending induction is on this merit, and this merit alone.
What they’ve done in their careers simply pales in comparison to the crop of existing Hall of Famers.
Before we can look at if either one of the TUF Season one finalist’s has any argument in their favor, let’s look at who is already in the Hall of Fame and some of their achievements.
Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell and Matt Hughes were all UFC champions. Couture was a multi-time champion in two different weight classes. Hughes, Liddell and Ortiz each defended their belt at least four consecutive times.
Royce Gracie won three out of the first UFC events—which were all one-night tournaments.
Ken Shamrock was the first to win the super-fight championship (open-weight title before weight classes were introduced), and a semi-finalist and finalist in the early tournament style UFC cards.
Mark Coleman is the first-ever UFC heavyweight champion—who also won both the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournaments.
Forrest Griffin’s crowning achievements were his upset victory over Maruicio “Shogun” Rua, and his upset win over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson to win the UFC light heavyweight championship. He lost the title his very next fight to Rashad Evans, went 3-3 the rest of his career and was bitten many times by the injury bug. He finished with a 10-5 record in the UFC.
Griffin was a fan favorite and best-selling author, with sometimes quirky behavior, who always gave his best in the Octagon. He just wasn’t good enough and shouldn’t be considered for the Hall of Fame.
Aside from being held in high esteem for his famous battle with Griffin, Bonnar has tested positive for steroids more than he’s had impressive victories. His most impressive win was over Keith Jardine. After that he went 5-6 overall, finishing his career with an 8-7 record in the UFC. Case closed.
Griffin, to his credit, is the only man other than Jon Jones to defeat both “Shogun” and “Rampage,” and he did it three years prior. He also won a title, so you can argue a case for him. Bonnar you cannot.
Which brings up the question: What is the necessary criteria needed to become a member of the UFC Hall of Fame?
Is it based on what you’ve done in the Octagon, and if you’ve won a title? Or, is it simply the president and owners having a soft spot for you?
If the latter is the case, are they championing mediocrity? The fans always get behind a fight that is more “Rock‘em, Sock’em Robots,” than it is skill and precision. Those fights are always up for “Fight of the Night,” and are held in high regard by the bosses.
That was the type of fight that Griffin and Bonnar put on that night.
Make no mistake, they deserve all the credit in the world for that magical night. They will always be talked of in reverent tones for the courage and valor that they put on display that fateful evening. They can be honored in so many other ways, and should be. But the Hall of Fame should be reserved for the greats of their time and era, which those two were not.
Will the induction of these two fighters set an example to others that you don’t necessarily have to be the best to be a Hall of Famer, you just have to be entertaining? Or perhaps, this is just a special case made for them based on that one special evening, and the future candidates going forward will have to get in the old fashioned way: based on their accomplishments over their career, not one night.
Hopefully this is the exception, not the rule.
Michael Stets is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report
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