Ultimate Fighter's Stephan Bonnar used to be into TKD

Q&A

When and why did you start training for fighting? ”I've just always loved fighting sports: Started Wrestling age 10. Started Tae Kwon Do age 12. Started Jiu-jitsu age 20. Started boxing and Muay Thai age 24.”

What ranks and titles do you hold? Ironheart Crown light heavyweight champ/Total Fight challenge light heavyweight champ/2002 2004 Chicago Golden Gloves Superheavyweight Champ

What is your favorite technique? ”The punch to the face.”

Do you have any heroes? ”Arnold, Bruce Lee, Aaron Pryor, Hugh Hefner.”

What are your hobbies? ”Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT),eating, drinking, and being merry.”

What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? ”Doing something I never dreamed possible.”

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? “ Purdue University / Sports Medicine.”

Cool! I knew those kicks looked familiar.

 

yeah well he also tested positive for performance enhancers

 

LOL.

 

the only thing TKD about him now is the 3 second blurb of him talking about it. and yeah, i'd heard that he'd tested for enhancers as well but i won't say its true til i look into it for some proof.

 

well it is true that he test positive for them, i am not sure if there is any other possible explanation. But i won't give any harsh opinions about it until he releases a statment.

 

Tadaa A formal complaint from the NSAC is pretty much proof. I suspect he was using it to speed up the rehab his hand which he'd injured in training, but either way a banned substance is a banned substance
EDIT: It's up on the UFC's site too

 

thanks sever, damn, that sucks though.

 

ok... but i just said that he used to be into TKD.

what is it with performance enhancers and TKD? stephen lopez... stephan bonnar... am i missing something?

 

I don't think I would qualify him as a TKD practicioner anymore. I think he's probably evolved into much more than that. He has some TKD in his tool belt, but that doesn't mean he's a taekwondoin

 

I think you missed the even bigger conspiracy. They are both called Stephen. 'Nuff said.

 

shame really, he seemed like such a smart guy.

 

Isnt that the case with all UFC fighters? No one fighter is purely a single stylist anymore, even the Gracies learn striking!

The thing is, unless they act like the Polish guy (sorry I forgot his name right now - Jurass is it!) and do it in a dobok, then any wins they have are nothing to do with TKD - he does that to prove a point, but still the TKD elements rarely count!

When Mark Weir recorded the fasted KO in the UFC MMA guys said its nothing to do with TKD!! Despite his 20+ years training and competing in it! And the fact that he used a classic TKD competition combination - but no, it cant be nothing to do with TKD right, cos TKDs for softies not hardcore MMA.

Funnily enough Mark is in a recent UK MA mag praising how much TKD has helped him in MMA and how he uses the same drills to ensure his kicking and punching remain hard and fast - but no, its not TKD is it? Thats the art for kiddie black belts and money grabbing Mcdojo's!! Shhh!

:bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang:

 

well see, the thing is, if he KO's someone with a big knee or chokes them out, ya know, something not readily practiced in TKD, or any art, then yeah, its not going to have much to do with it. but when the public sees a dobok wearing guy land a jumping spinning back kick, no ones going to care what he claims ya know, i think its reputation among competative fighters has been tarnished beyond repair sadly.

 

juras... i think he still claims his base art is TKD. and maybe he stopped using the dobok because it would just put him in trouble if he grappler uses it to their advantage.

 

Uh Purdue doesn't have a medical school, least not by itself. If he really got a medical degree in sports medicine/injury rehabilitation, it would have been at IUPUI...

 

I can understand that as it makes sense.

My point is, the Gracies base are is BJJ and when one of theres wins its a BJJ win but AFAIK in regular BJJ theres no striking though they still train and strike if competing in MMA/UFC and when they win its a BJJ win cos BJJ is their base/main art.

When someone like Mark Weir or Juras wins, the UFC/MMA guys in no way shape or form credit any of it to TKD saying its simply FC or the MMA training.

Isnt all UFC fighting MMA now anyway!

Stuart

 

Why do TKD haters like Tekkengod hang out on the TKD forums so much. We know you hate TKD, we know that you think TKD is completely useless in every since of the word, WE KNOW OK. It's like you guys have an obsession with hating TKD or something, Give it a rest.

 

Well, here is the question. Now that Stephan is a UFC fighter, we know he still trains at a BJJ club, a boxing / kickboxing club, we know he still trains in wrestling.

So, can someone please tell me which TKD club he trains at right now?

And right there is the difference between BJJ fighters crediting BJJ, or boxers crediting boxing and most guys with a TKD background crediting TKD. Yes, it helps. But that's not what they do now. Yes, they probably bring elements of it, but it's not what they go train in when working up to a fight.

 

Unless it was nursing?

 

Since he's from Munster he probably attended Purdue Calumet. I'm unaware of sports medicine there, but Purdue has great Physical Therapy. As for his TKD, he still uses a spinning back-kick, and I think I remember an axe kick attempt in his last fight.