Who won the light heavyweight final on The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale?

Forrest Griffin won the light heavyweight final on The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale, defeating Stephan Bonnar by unanimous decision. Their three-round fight took place on April 9, 2005, and became one of the most celebrated bouts in UFC history.

Griffin and Bonnar traded strikes for the full distance in a dramatic, exhausting contest. Griffin was awarded the decision, but both fighters received UFC contracts because of the fight's extraordinary pace, toughness, and entertainment value.

The bout helped turn The Ultimate Fighter from a television experiment into a major audience-building force for the UFC. Roughly three million viewers watched the fight on Spike TV, and its popularity contributed to what became known as the “TUF boom,” bringing new fans and participants to mixed martial arts.

The question can be confusing because Diego Sanchez won the season's middleweight final, while Griffin won the light heavyweight bracket. Kenny Florian was not a finalist, and Stephan Bonnar was Griffin's opponent—not the winner.