UFC Hall of Famer Stephan Bonnar passed away on Thursday at the age of 45. Reports suggest heart complications were the reason for the athlete’s demise.
The news saddened many in the MMA community, including fighters and fans, who took to social media to pay their respects to Bonnar.
MMA broadcaster Mike Goldberg shared a heartfelt tribute to ‘American Psycho’ on Twitter:
“Bonnar/Griffin changed the UFC forever! If you knew Stephan Bonnar, it was impossible not to love him, a loyal friend with a great sense of humor who once took over an entire floor of our hotel in Australia preparing his own kangaroo meal! RIP American Psycho, gone way too young!”
UFC welterweight Michael Chiesa reminisced about Bonnar’s iconic fight against Forrest Griffin and the massive impact it had on the sport of MMA:
“My condolences go out to Stephan Bonnar’s family. His fight with Forrest Griffin changed the landscape of the sport of MMA and pushed it to the next level. He’s a big part of the reason we are here today.”
Kenny Florian stated that Bonnar acted as an inspiration for an entire generation of fighters and left a long-lasting impact on the sport:
“Stephan Bonnar, you were one of the toughest & funniest guys I’ve ever met. You passed way too soon but accomplished so much in a short amount of time. You helped change this sport forever, inspired a whole generation of fighters & your impact will always be remembered.”
A few more tweets on the passing of the UFC Hall of Famer can be seen below.
Stephan Bonnar appeared in the first season of ‘TUF’
Stephan Bonnar was a part of the inaugural season of the UFC’s cult show ‘The Ultimate Fighter’.
‘The American Pyscho’ took on Forrest Griffin in the finale of the tournament. The three-round back-and-forth slugfest became an instant classic. It was hailed as arguably the most important fight in the promotion’s history as it took the UFC‘s popularity to a whole another level. The fight was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Bonnar’s performance was so impressive that despite losing the fight by a very close margin, the 45-year-old was awarded a UFC contract.
‘The American Psycho’ went on to have 14 fights in the UFC. Bonnar won eight of those encounters and parted ways with the promotion in October 2012.
His memory will be etched forever in the hearts and minds of MMA enthusiasts.