For those of us who were comic book fans growing up, the ideas presented in the “What If” comic series were always popular topics for discussion. “What if Superman joined Lex Luthor?” “What if the X-Men were started by Magneto instead of Professor X?” The ideas went on and on. Well, the real-life mixed martial arts world is now faced with a “What if” scenario. Stephan Bonnar is due to face an individual in Anderson Silva whom many think of as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. Regardless of whether you believe that to be true, the fact remains that Bonnar is in a position to upset the world unlike any other fighter before him.
Each year, the sports media outlet ESPN hosts the “ESPY” awards, which chronicle the best personalities and moments in sports from the previous year. One of their awards is the “Upset of the Year.” If Stephan Bonnar wins at UFC 153, this bout should (although it most likely won’t) win that category hands down. In fact, for that year only, they may want to introduce an “Upset of the Decade” award for Bonnar to win.
Anderson Silva has a record of 32-4, which includes a six-year undefeated streak that has seen him take the scalps of 14 different fighters while winning 16 fights. Everyone may not cheer the fighter known as “The Spider,” but there is no one that can scoff at his record. Undefeated in the Octagon, he holds a place in UFC history that may not be touched for a long period of time. As the end of his career approaches, a few viable options remain as the proverbial stamp that he can place on his career. However, a loss to Bonnar this weekend would nearly destroy much of the allure that many of those options would hold.
Bonnar also holds an important place in MMA history. His 2005 fight against Forrest Griffin is often referenced as the most important bout in the history of the sport, and the explosion of the UFC’s popularity is attributed to it. Without it, there’s a good chance that the sport wouldn’t be around in its current form. However, since then, Bonnar has not been much more than a gatekeeper within the ranks of the UFC roster. With an 8-6 record inside of the Octagon, he has consistently given fight fans exciting battles, but has never moved anywhere near contender’s status in the light heavyweight division. He brings a three-fight win streak into this bout, but he hasn’t been too active during the last two years. He’s the definition of underdog going into the fight with Anderson Silva.
If Stephan Bonnar wins this fight, the world will not collapse on itself; let’s get that right out of the way. However, if Bonnar pulls out a victory, this would be one of the key moments that a fighter can and should walk away from competition with his head held high. Bonnar’s opportunity to become a champion at 205 pounds is far off, especially with the way he was defeated by Jon Jones back in 2009. But a victory would nonetheless be an important moment, not only for his career, but for the sport as a whole.
Silva’s place as the greatest fighter of all time would be truly challenged with a defeat at UFC 153. Many have faulted his record because he hasn’t faced a slew of names that are comparable to that of Georges St. Pierre, so a defeat at the hands of Bonnar would only increase the intensity of their cries. The “super fight” tag that has been placed on a potential bout with “Rush” in Cowboys stadium would immediately go away, along with the possibility of the massive payout that fight would garner. Silva’s UFC Middleweight Championship may not be on the line, but Silva truly does have a lot to lose in this fight.
If Stephan Bonnar wins this fight, those in attendance should be ready for either dead silence or pure pandemonium. Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg would lose their voices from screaming at the top of their lungs, while the MMA online community would be blown away. These underdog stories are what makes sports so enjoyable to the masses, and very few are bigger than the potential underdog story that the UFC 153 main event would provide.
