UFC Cutman Stitch Duran Looks Back at the Historic Battle Between Griffin and Bonnar

Courtesy of Damon Martin and official MMAWeekly.com content partner Bleacher Report.

Jacob “Stitch” Duran is one of the most familiar faces any time a major MMA or boxing event takes place. He’s the guy responsible for making sure his fighters are taken care of between rounds and no cut gets too severe.

Duran routinely works with famed boxers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, and is also the cutman of choice for several UFC fighters including former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin.

Duran is famously known for his in-between round work when Griffin battled former Pride champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua back in 2007 when a large cut opened on his fighter’s head that could have very well ended the fight.

Luckily, Duran was able to stop the bleeding long enough to allow Griffin to continue and he eventually submitted Rua in the third round.

A year and a half earlier, Duran was in Griffin’s corner for one of the most monumental occasions in UFC history when he battled Stephan Bonnar for the first ever Ultimate Fighter crown.

Griffin and Bonnar went to war for a full 15 minutes, and Duran was there in between every round to make sure his fighter was cleaned up and ready to go for the start of the next five-minute session.

Even Duran, who was busy focusing on his fighter’s safety during the bout, knew something special was happening with Griffin and Bonnar and remembers a post-fight moment when even he couldn’t contain his happiness for his corner.

“Being a cutman, supposed to be pretty neutral, but as we’re waiting there for the decision one of Forrest’s trainers looks at me and says, ‘Stitch, I’m not gay, but I’ve got to give you a kiss for taking care of Forrest,’” Duran said of the historic fight.

Watch Bleacher Report’s interview with Stitch as he takes a look back at Griffin vs. Bonnar 1 from The Ultimate Fighter finale in 2006.

Check out more UFC coverage from official MMAWeekly.com content partner Bleacher Report and Damon Martin.

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