In 2005, the UFC took its first real shot at getting on television and earning some mainstream exposure since ZUFFA had purchased the company.
The organization came to SPIKE TV with an offer to add a new reality show, The Ultimate Fighter, to their winter lineup.
SPIKE accepted on the condition that the UFC handle all production costs and suddenly there was MMA on television.
While the show itself was a hit, it wasn’t until the show’s finale that it became clear that SPIKE had struck gold with the UFC.
In what was actually the co-main event of the night (Ken Shamrock fought Rich Franklin in the main event), Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar put on an incredibly exciting fight that drew in viewers by the second.
In the end the judges gave Griffin the close decision win, and Forrest was instantly one of the most popular and well-liked fighters in MMA.
After the fight Forrest was highlighted as a future champion and one of the future legends of the sport, while Bonnar was left to fend for himself, having to fight much tougher competition in his initial bouts.
Since then, Bonnar has been regarded as little more than a gatekeeper in the light heavyweight division, while Griffin has gone on to win the 205-lb title and is consistently ranked in the Top 10 in the division.
But what if Bonnar had won?
Odds are they would have built him up a little more cautiously and given him a few fights that they thought he could win.
Could Bonnar have defeated Tito Ortiz whereas Griffin failed on his first attempt? It’s definitely possible.
Forrest is undeniably the superior fighter, but if Bonnar had even half of the patience that the UFC showed with Griffin, we could be looking at a former title contender instead of the gatekeeper we’ve grown accustomed to.
Sure, it’s unlikely that Bonnar would have ever beaten Shogun Rua and Rampage Jackson in consecutive fights, but he may have gotten a shot to coach The Ultimate Fighter, and may be considered the fan favorite that Forrest is now.
Meanwhile, Griffin would have had a much tougher road to the top, fighting guys like Rashad Evans much sooner than he did. He may even be nearing the end of his career at the moment.
It’s purely speculation, but if just two of the judges had sided with Bonnar on that fateful night in 2005, the entire landscape of the UFC might be dramatically different from the way it is now.
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