Brian Stann on how he preps for a fight
April 11th, 2011 | Marine Corps Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
This video is straight from Greg Jackson’s gym in Albuquerque, and just listening to Brian Stann talk about his training habits makes my out-of-shape butt tired.
Stann, the former Marine who earned the Silver Star for his actions a a platoon leader in Iraq, is currently getting ready for his next bout at UFC 130 in May. In this interview he talks about his strength and conditioning regime, and he balances that out with sparring and technical work prior to his fights.
Stann also gives a shoutout to Sgt. George Lockhart, who helps Stann (and other fighters at Jackson’s gym) with diet and nutrition.
New name in mix as a possible opponent for Brian Stann
February 13th, 2011 | Marine Corps Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
Brian Stann and Wanderlei Silva are still matched up on the official UFC 130 website, but apparently nothing is confirmed yet. On Saturday the webiste MMAjunkie.com reported that Jorge Santiago, not Silva, is likely to be the former Marine’s next opponent. The MMAJunkie report came a day after ESPN.com reported that Santiago would indeed be returning to the UFC.
On Sunday, Stann said on Twitter that nothing has been decided yet regarding his opponent.
“Not sure who I’m fighting next, both names being thrown around sound great to me! Be an honor,” Stann tweeted.
Santiago, who last fought in the UFC in 2006, is 23-8 as an MMA fighter. He’s won 10 of his last 11 fights, with the majority of the wins coming in Strikeforce and the Sengoku organization, where he is the current middleweight champion.
Here’s a highlight film put together by American Top Team, where Santiago trains.
Fight Brian Stann? ‘[Expletive] that.’
January 25th, 2011 | After Action UFC | Posted by Mike Hoffman
That was Wanderlai Silva’s response to UFC president Dana White’s proposal for “The Axe Muderer’s” next fight be the former Marine captain.
“We were actually trying to hook [Silva] up with Brian Stann. He doesn’t want to fight Brian Stann. He’s like, ‘[Expletive] that. Everybody is going to hate me if I fight Brian Stann. Everybody loves Brian Stann.’ But that’s the fight we’re trying to make right now,” White said Friday during the Q&A session at UFC Fight Night 23: Fight for the Troops 2.
Silva is coming off an injury to his knee, but he is ready to fight again, White said. The Brazilian mixed martial artist just would rather not fight a Marine right now.
Stann still wants to fight a top 10 opponent and has also suggested fights with Michael Bisping and Vitor Belfort.
Watch Dana White’s video blog for Fight for the Troops 2
January 22nd, 2011 | Army Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
The UFC and its outspoken president, Dana White, hit Fort Hood this week for tonight’s Fight for the Troops 2 on Spike TV. The UFC’s cameras followed White around the post as the foulest-mouthed executive in America met soldiers and shot the breeze with UFC personalities Joe Rogan, Matt Serra, Brian Stann, Frankie Edgar and others.
Report: ‘Axe Murderer’ could be Brian Stann’s next opponent
January 18th, 2011 | Marine Corps Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
Brian Stann lands a kick to the chest of Chris Leben during Stann's first-round TKO victory at UFC 125. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)
It sounds like Brian Stann will get his wish.
The former Marine captain said after his victory at UFC 125 that he’d like to fight MMA legend Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva next, and UFC President Dana White told mmafighting.com that he believes the two will indeed meet sometime in the spring when Silva returns from a knee injury.
Stann is coming off the biggest win of his MMA career, a first-round demolition of Chris Leben. The victory has rocketed Stann’s visibility in the UFC middleweight division, and Silva — easily the most decorated opponent he’s faced yet — represents a big step toward becoming a title contender.
With a pro record of 33-10-1 and wins against some of the top fighters in the UFC and the now-defunct Pride organization, Silva is one of the most accomplished and popular fighters in MMA history. The Brazilian won the middleweight title twice in Pride and had a five-year unbeaten streak during his time there.
The brutality and sheer number of Silva’s fights have taken a toll on Silva, and the general consensus is that while still dangerous, he’s no longer anywhere near the force he once was. Since returning to the UFC in 2007, Silva is 2-3, winning last his last fight in Feb. 2010 against Michael Bisping. Silva had knee surgery after that fight and also suffered three broken ribs last year, which forced him to withdraw from UFC 116 and has kept him from the Octagon since then.
Stann and Marine sergeant to open MMA gym
January 7th, 2011 | Marine Corps Mixed martial arts | Posted by Mike Hoffman
Former Marine Brian Stann kicks Chris Leben during their UFC middleweight mixed martial arts match Jan. 1. Stann won by first round TKO. (AP photo)
Our friends over at Battle Rattle, the pre-eminent Marine Corps blog, tell us that Marine Sgt. George “Loaded” Lockhart is teaming up with former Marine and rising UFC star Brian Stann to open an MMA gym.
Stann has earned a name for himself in the UFC after upsetting Chris Leben in his New Year’s Day fight at UFC 125. Lockhart, meanwhile, is himself a rising MMA fighter who is also known for his ability to help fighters drop weight leading up to fights.
The two plan to co-manage the gym outside Atlanta after Lockhart gets out of the Corps in July. Read the rest of the write up at Battle Rattle.
Former Marine on upcoming UFC bout: “Now is my time”
December 22nd, 2010 | Marine Corps Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
Brian Stann, a former Marine captain who earned the Silver Star for his actions in Iraq, is fighting veteran middleweight Chris Leben at UFC 125 on Jan. 1. It’s the most high-profile fight of Stann’s MMA career, and as he notes in this video, he’s the underdog coming into the bout. Leben, a fan favorite for both his high-energy fighting style outsized personality, is a well-rounded brawler who can win a fight on the ground or standing. Leben also has 31 pro fights under his belt — considerably more experience than Stann — and comes into this matchup having won three in a row in the UFC.
Maybe it’s just a dumb hunch, but I expect Stann to give Leben a lot stiffer challenge than many MMA fans think. He’s now been training with Greg Jackson’s folks for more than two years, and his fight game has evolved. Stann is also finally getting a shot against a fighter who will stand and trade with him, as opposed to a wrestling specialist.
Even if Stann does not win this fight, a strong performance against someone of Leben’s caliber could go a long way to earning him more respect from fans, and more big-time fights in the future.
Stann: Kennedy will win Strikeforce title
August 6th, 2010 | Army Marine Corps Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
Earlier this week I interviewed UFC middleweight Brian Stann about his victory over Mike Massenzio at UFC on Versus 2 on Sunday. It’s for an article in the upcoming print edition of Marine Corps Times that hits newsstands Monday, and it will run alongside a co-worker’s story on Sgt. George Lockhart, an instructor at the Corps’ Martial Arts School of Excellence who helped Stann and UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones make weight for their fights. So go buy a newspaper on Monday. Please.
Until then, here’s some other tidbits from my talk with Stann, as well as some quotes from coach Mike Winkeljohn, who trained the former Marine during his pre-fight camp at Jackson’s and Winkeljohn’s Mixed Martial Arts.
On Tim Kennedy:
Stann had a chance to train with Army Staff Sgt. Tim Kennedy, who is fighting for the vacant Strikeforce middleweight title on Aug. 21, when Kennedy came out to Jackson’s for a week. Stann called Kennedy an “extraordinary grappler” with lots of fighting experience. The two had met earlier while taping a radio show, and Stann expects the two combat-hardened fighters to forge a solid working relationship as their careers move forward.
As for Kennedy’s upcoming championship bout with Ronald “Jacare” Souza, Stann didn’t hesitate to pick a winner.
“I think they’ll be strapping a belt around [Tim's] waist.”
Former Marine to be on next season of The Ultimate Fighter
August 4th, 2010 | Marine Corps Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
The UFC has announced the final 28 contestants who will to try to punch, kick and choke their onto season 12 of The Ultimate Fighter, and a former Marine is among those vying to get in the house.
In the Spike TV video below, Mike “The Marine” Richman gives a quick background on his four years in the Corps, which he says included three tours in Iraq. Richman says he left the Marines to pursue his MMA career, which stands at a perfect 7-0 according to Sherdog.com.
Fast-forward to 3:33 if you’re uninterested in meeting the rest of the cast.
Stann wins, and earns $40K bonus in process
August 2nd, 2010 | Marine Corps Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
Brian Stann, right, misses on a kick during his victory against Mike Massenzio at UFC on Versus 2. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
Sometimes, it’s how you win.
Former Marine Brian Stann needed a victory in a bad way last night to keep his UFC career moving forward. He got the win, and in doing so proved he’s more than a one-dimensional striker. Stann submitted Mike Massenzio — a more experienced ground fighter — at UFC on Versus 2 to win his debut in the 185-pound weight class. The win via triangle choke was Stann’s first career victory by submission, and helped him bounce back from a tough loss to wrestling specialist Phil Davis back in February.
Making the win all the more sweet was the fact that apparently the Stann-Massenzio matchup was a helluva brawl (I wouldn’t know for sure since Versus didn’t show it). The three-round donnybrook was picked at “Fight of the Night” — an honor that comes along with a $40,000 bonus for each fighter.