Stephan Bonnar missed a golden opportunity for some extra mind games prior to his fight with Tito Ortiz at Bellator 131. To promote his second appearance under the Bellator banner Tito Ortiz stopped by ESPN’s Los Angeles studios for a media carwash. One of Ortiz’s main stops was on the set of ESPN afternoon show Sports Nation.
Hosted by Marcellus Wiley, Max Kellerman and Michelle Beadle Sports Nation is show driven by fan survey interaction. Ortiz is a man of the people and is even nicknamed “the people’s champ”. The trio of Wiley, Kellerman and Beadle were even nice enough to take a pic with Ortiz after his appearance. This was Bonnar’s time to strike.
Dressed in a full Max Kellerman Halloween costume Bonnar would reveal himself to Ortiz by removing his rubber mask just prior to the group pic was snapped. Imagine the look on Ortiz’s face when he realizes that it was Bonnar interviewing him all along! What a swerve!
The logistics of distracting Max Kellerman for the entire hour long broadcast of Sports Nation is neither here nor there. In the name of fight promotion Bonnar could study Kellerman’s voice and mannerisms for months on end just so he could trick Ortiz. Were Wiley and Beadle in on it the whole time? Was the Kellerman disguise homemade or store bought?
Go down a rabbit hole of mind games and psychological warfare Bonnar versus Ortiz headlines Bellator 131 this Saturday.
There will be blood…Saturday @titoortiz pic.twitter.com/ogrllVCROV
— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) November 11, 2014
Joining the desk @titoortiz talks Bellator 131 w/ @Max_Kellerman @marcelluswiley & @MichelleDBeadle #bookersbts pic.twitter.com/qtfpTJ7SYo
— Carlton Gillespie (@CarltonGilles) November 11, 2014
