My Apology to UFC 153 Headliner Stephan Bonnar

Sometimes a man makes a mistake. When it happens, there are two options. You can attempt to bury your head in the sand, even lash out at the people who call you on it, just hoping it all goes away. Or, you can stand up and admit your error.

I'm choosing the latter path. I was wrong.

When I started a series of articles called "Hater Aid," I was starting down a path that I should have recognized wasn't right. While the stories hold up factually, the very idea of them is in bad taste.

I missed the mark. No matter how many times I said that my articles weren't personal, they were, whether I liked it or not. Whether I intended it that way or not. Because I wasn't writing about a team. I was writing about an individual, a person with feelings, flesh and bone. With families who my words might greet like a slap to the face.

Words can hurt.

For that, I apologize. To Stephan Bonnar and Vitor Belfort. To their families. And, just as importantly, to my readers.

I love the sport of mixed martial arts. The fighters who compete in the cage have provided me hours of entertainment at great personal cost. I owe them better than that. I owe you better than that. I don't intend to continue the series.

Instead, I look forward to joining you here in the days to come, sharing the stories of the men and women who make up this sport. Our sport. 

Best,

Jonathan Snowden