yea its was exciting too. There was a huge comeback and both guys were exhausted. The difference for me is those 2 guys had proven previously that they are great fighters and martial artists.
At the time of the 1st TUF i was training hardcore for a few years and it just didnt sit right that a fight with such poor technical skill is what brought it into the limelight.
In that era of MMA, training wasn't sophisticated enough to adapt endurance preparation from other sports.
And both Bonnar and Griffin started the fight in 5th gear, going for the KO in the 1st round, and were completely exhausted by the end of it. Each were taking as much damage as the other were putting out, and there's no question that damage sucks away endurance.
But although each of their gas tanks were empty, at the latest, half way through through the 2nd, neither were backing down. One pushed the other further and further, they were fighting like the loser gets a death sentence.
And when when the fight ended, the winner was announced, and Bonner collapsed... it wasn't acting, but he sure as hell wasn't that he fainted... it was that, after that hellacious fight, he LOST.
And thankfully, Dana and the Bros offered him a contract. The perfect storybook ending for one of the best fights ever.
Yeah, it wasn't pretty, and the best fights never are.