Bonnar ready to begin next chapter of life

The story only ends if the words stop. Stephan Bonnar wants the pages to lead to more chapters, understanding that while the plot will change forever tonight and in the coming days, his exit from one part of life will direct him to a wonderful beginning in another.

This is how an expectant father thinks before the biggest moment of a professional career at the doorstep of its conclusion.

"I know I will fight my heart out," said Bonnar, 35. "I know I will give everything I have."

Then he will depart the octagon, pick up a telephone and call home to his very anxious and pregnant wife.

He is an underdog in the manner of Rudy Ruettiger hoping to run onto a football field for one play, and just might need the help of Touchdown Jesus (or any other deity) to survive the evening unharmed and prepared to welcome his first child.

Bonnar is part of the main event at UFC 153 in Rio de Janeiro, where he will face Anderson Silva, history's greatest mixed martial arts fighter and a 14-1 favorite to continue his dominance.

It would take a Buster Douglas-type upset to change the course of the expected outcome. It would take a lot more than Rudy getting a sack.

"My first response to him fighting this close to the baby's due date was, 'Hell no,' " said Bonnar's wife, Andrea. "But then they said he could fight Anderson Silva. I said, 'Yeah, sure, if they can make it happen.'

"Nobody expects him to win. I just don't want anything bad to happen to him. I want him to be able to hold our baby and not be in pain with a cast or crutches and having the doctors ask why my husband looks like he just got into a bar fight. I have faith in him and think he will surprise people with his performance, but I won't watch the fight. Stephan tends to bleed. I'm afraid it would put me into early labor."

The picture of emotion: Andrea is in her 38th week of pregnancy with a due date of Oct. 30. She won't check the Internet or turn on the television during the fight. She will be in Las Vegas while her husband is in Brazil and the rest of her family celebrates in the Bahamas, where her younger sister is getting married today. Friends are a telephone call away for a ride to the hospital in case the baby boy decides it's time to meet the world a few weeks early.

There will come a time today when Bonnar shuts off all contact from anyone, Andrea included. He has waited for this moment, this opportunity, since he took part in what is considered the most important fight in Ultimate Fighting Championship history in 2005.

He lost to Forrest Griffin that April night in Cox Pavilion as part of "The Ultimate Fighter 1" season finale, but the relentless action drew more than 3 million viewers on Spike TV and helped launch the UFC from an organization bleeding cash into the powerful and wealthy entity you see today.

Bonnar lost to Griffin again in 2006 and wonders how different his career could have been had he won each time. Maybe he would have received a shot like the one tonight much sooner. Maybe he would have been champion.

He was all but retired when the call came about Silva needing an opponent. Bonnar was first asked to fight young star Glover Teixeira but declined. He has fought the best over 11 years - the Griffins, the Lyoto Machidas, the Jon Joneses - and has never been knocked out or submitted.

But he is past the point of engaging up-and-comers, no matter how talented one like Teixeira is. Bonnar is too close to closing one chapter and beginning another, to continuing life as a fight commentator and entrepreneur and, most importantly, new father.

It was going to be an opponent like Silva, or nothing.

"I felt a lot of times over the years I could never get the fight I wanted," Bonnar said. "To fight Anderson at this point ... I have nothing to lose. He is the best. He has defended his title 15 times. He makes guys look silly. I have never seen him marked up.

"But win or lose this fight, our first child will be a life changer. I can't wait to teach him everything I know about life and in turn learn from him. Right when the fight is over, I will call (Andrea), tell her how it went and tell her I'm on my way home."

The story won't end there.

The plot merely changes.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on "Gridlock," ESPN 1100 and 98.9 FM. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney.