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[Sakara=Excitement]

Stephan Bonnar wants big-money Forrest Griffin trilogy regardless of UFC 148 | MMAjunkie.com

Win or lose Saturday night at UFC 148 versus Tito Ortiz, Forrest Griffin is Stephan Bonnar's next opponent if "The American Psycho" gets his wish of a trilogy fight with the former UFC light-heavyweight champion.

The Las Vegas-based Bonnar understands UFC president Dana White recently shot down a recent Twitter campaign to have "The Ultimate Fighter 1" finalists coach prospective UFC fighters on the upcoming 16th season.

Still, the 35-year-old wants to meet again the man he battled for 15 minutes in April 2005 to a unanimous-decision defeat. The instant classic earned the "greatest fight in UFC history" tag because – as White often points out – it's the most important. Those three rounds became the Bonnar-Griffin Boom, which ushered in the UFC's defining six years on Spike TV and pay-per-view leading to the octagon's arrival on FOX in November.

"He can bring out the best in me," Bonnar told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com). "We can have a complete action-packed fight that the fans love," Bonnar told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com). "I want to give them a good fight. Also Forrest is a really big name. I want to fight people with lots of Twitter followers. Give me the big names."

In Griffin (18-7 MMA, 9-5 UFC), Bonnar (14-7 MMA, 8-6 UFC) sees an opponent with an established personal history and place in UFC lure – an opponent worth putting his three-fight win streak (Krzysztof Soszynski, Igor Pokrajac and Kyle Kingsbury) up against. The reputation the Hammond, Ill. native enjoys as a fighter favoring slugfests or marching on through wars of attrition weighs on Bonnar going into his career's later years. A 14-fight, seven-year octagon veteran, entertainment is not lost on him, so Bonnar asks for the right fighter when potentially sacrificing brain cells in rugged exchanges.

"I'm getting old," Bonnar said. "I can't do this forever. I know. I know me. I've had lots of injuries and surgeries. I've got a couple good years left in me. I'd like to make it worth my while. I'd like to retire with a lot of money from fighting."

Now that Bonnar is chomping at the bit for a chance to step in the cage against Griffin, he believes the third contest can compel audiences more like the first contest than the second, leaving a lasting impression by extending their fight history 15 or – if the money's right – 25 minutes.

"Think about it; say it's after the third round and I've taken a lot of shots and I'm hurt and all that. I suck it up 10 more minutes. Those 10 minutes can mean eternal brain damage," explained Bonnar about his reluctance to accept a five-round non-title fight instead of a three-round contest without added compensation. "I'll take that chance if it's going to be worth my while, but if not, then I don't see the point."

Financial security is everything for a fighter. So is legacy. As windows close for both, the third match with Griffin stands out as raising the right stakes for Bonnar.

"Story of my life is I've fought all the best guys for the worst pay days," the Sergio Penha jiu-jitsu black belt said. "I fought Machida for $500. Greatest fight of all-time with Forrest, I got $5,000 for it. For Rashad I think I got $12,000. For Jones, I got $20,000. I've been in all those fights too. I've got a couple of years, so I want to make them worth my while."

Recalling the historical first fight with Griffin in a third contest is fitting for what could be the final stages of Bonnar's career. It's something he really wants, which couldn't be said truthfully about their August 2006 bout – the second (and not as competitive) unanimous-decision defeat dropped to Griffin.

"The second fight I didn't want to be there," he said. "I tried not taking the fight. I had a couple of really bad injuries, and I didn't want to be there. I was just happy with losing a competitive decision. That's what I did.

"After that fight, I got surgery on my elbow. Well, also 30 seconds in the fight, I shattered my right hand. I had surgery on that. It was a rough night."

Like any fighter on the wrong side of the win column, there's restlessness in Bonnar to stand off with Griffin once more since he feels "on" in recent performances. Bonnar has not fought since UFC 139 this past November – a conservative outing that drew rare boos. He's staying busy while awaiting his next assignment, hosting a charity event this Friday night for Garrett Holeve, a 22-year-old mixed martial artist with Down's syndrome. The next night he'll watch his friend Griffin tangle in co-main-event action while certain Ortiz exits the cage without a win.

For the Griffin trilogy, he'd like three months to prepare to deliver a memorable final fight.

"People know they can fight me and be involved in a gritty slugfest, but I'm all about opening," Bonnar of how he's evolved since the initial Griffin fights. "It doesn't matter what it is. I'm not too strong. I'm not too fast. I'm not a great wrestler. I couldn't even qualify for state in high school my senior year in Indiana of high school, but I like fighting at a fast pace every second of every fight putting it all on the line."

The two UFC original personalities have served each other's careers well. They are everymen who work to rise to the occasion and perhaps never have more than the level they did at the pivotal conclusion of the inaugural "TUF" season. It's not just cashing in on history and name value for Bonnar. He reminds the 33-year-old Griffin there's an open invitation to light his competitive fire as the former champion openly contemplates retirement.

"Once you get in there and you hit him in the face, piss him off, it's going to come out of him," Bonnar said. "He's going to fight ass off like his life depended on it. You need the right opponent for that fight. I'm that guy."

[DaSpiderFan24]

Like Bonnar but not really interested in a 3rd fight. Its a step down for Forrest IMO. Bonnar needs another opponent like a Bader or Thiago Silva or someone like that...

[xrjxarsonx]

pass

[Sakara=Excitement]

Originally Posted by DaSpiderFan24

Like Bonnar but not really interested in a 3rd fight. Its a step way down for Forrest IMO. Bonnar needs another opponent like a Bader or Thiago Silva or someone like that...

Wait...........

So it would be a step DOWN for Griffin to fight Bonnar but you think Bader and Thiago Silva should fight Bonnar and they are both ranked higher than Forrest?

[JPeezy]

"It's getting old," Bonnar said.

Fixed it for you Stephan.

[W.Silva>C.Norris]

regardless of rank, this is a great fight. Both guys are on the down-side of their careers now, neither one is really primed to make a run at 205 for a title any time in the forseeable future, and its already a proven commodity. We KNOW Griffin vs Bonnar will be at the very least entertaining. Its got co-main event written all over it really. C'mon dana, its free money, make it happen!

[Sakara=Excitement]

Originally Posted by W.Silva>C.Norris

regardless of rank, this is a great fight. Both guys are on the down-side of their careers now, neither one is really primed to make a run at 205 for a title any time in the forseeable future, and its already a proven commodity. We KNOW Griffin vs Bonnar will be at the very least entertaining. Its got co-main event written all over it really. C'mon dana, its free money, make it happen!

I actually think Bonnar is on an upswing in his career and would argue he is NOT on the down-side.

[W.Silva>C.Norris]

Originally Posted by Sakara=Excitement

I actually think Bonnar is on an upswing in his career and would argue he is NOT on the down-side.

Ah, I meant more from an age and years left standpoint, rather then career-wise. Poor wording on my behalf.

[DaSpiderFan24]

Originally Posted by Sakara=Excitement

Wait...........

So it would be a step DOWN for Griffin to fight Bonnar but you think Bader and Thiago Silva should fight Bonnar and they are both ranked higher than Forrest?

according to who's rankings?? ok sorry Bader is ranked higher but not T. Silva

[Sakara=Excitement]

Originally Posted by DaSpiderFan24

according to who's rankings?? ok sorry Bader is ranked higher but not T. Silva

Bonnar is on a 3 fight winning streak. Definitely not a step down for ol' Forrest.