Photo: BrianStann.com
With less than a week to go before Brian Stann makes his debut at 185Ibs at UFC on Versus 2 against Mike Massenzio, the former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion is feeling the benefits of the dropping the weight telling me that he “feels great, faster than I was previously” while still be able to use the same strength and conditioning training as he was previously. Stann made the decision to drop down to 185Ibs in the aftermath of his defeat to highly credentialed wrestler Phil Davis, explaining that while “previously I wanted to be a small light heavyweight so I could use my speed to dominant standing” he now feels that he needs to be able to use size to impose himself on his opponents and keep the fight standing. To make the weight cut manageable he began “shrinking” his body size from April, getting down to a pre-cut weight of around 215Ibs.
Along with the move down in weight, Stann has been focusing on improving his wrestling in preparation of facing a former wrestler for the third fight in a row. After being matched up against so many fighters “who’s game plan was to take me down and hold me down” he has been focused on developing his ability to defend against takedown attempts and stay active if he does find himself on his back. This is just the latest refinement of his fighting style, with Stann telling me that after initially having to teach himself his knowledge of the sport has significantly increased ever since he became part of the Greg Jackson training camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He explains that it’s a “constant training environment” with the entire team being totally open with each other, keen to see everyone improved.
The structured support he now receives from coaches Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn is worlds away from how he began his path to the UFC. It was as a Captain in the Marine Corps that Stann first began training in mixed martial arts, trying to teach himself the moves he was studying on video tapes. He would add to that by using his leave from the military to join with various camps across the country to train in-depth in the different aspects of the sport. Three years after leaving the military Stann is sure that his experiences of active service helps give him the discipline and the mental strength to excel as a fighter, explaining that having been in literally life and death situations a fight never becomes this “cataclysmic” event as he’s always able to stay calm and see “the bigger picture”.
Away from the UFC, Brain Stann works tirelessly to help veterans make the same transition to a successful civilian career as he has, having been the executive director of Hire Heroes USA since 2007. The organization helps veterans improve their resume and interview skills, and matches them up with the right companies. Stann is obviously passionate about the need for more to be done to help veterans find work, telling me that “veteran unemployment is two times the general unemployment rate (this) means that they are being denied the American Dream that they have fought to protect”. He believes that this shocking state of affairs is driven largely by ignorance with civilian employers unaware of “the skills and value that veterans can bring to their organization” while veterans “are not trained to promote themselves to civilian employers”.
In September Brian Stann will release his autobiography, “Heart for the Fight – A Marine Hero’s Journey from the Battlefields of Iraq to Mixed Martial Arts Champion”. He hopes that the book will show people how he’s always been to “take all the negative experiences and turn them in something positive” while also allowing people to see “the amazing thing my marines did under extreme pressures and the amazing that today’s servicemen are doing everyday”. Stann is clear that even if people disagree with conflicts such as the Iraq War they should still honor the service of “19, 20, 21 year olds who are making life and death decisions not just about themselves but also their fellow servicemen”. He explains that although writing the book was strenuous, he got on so well with co-author John R. Bruning that it was a “fun experience” but that the rest of the process was hard to handle. “with publishing companies coming and telling you what should and shouldn’t be in”. Above all else he hopes that his marines read it and then “take it to their families and say you’ll read a little about what we went through and understand me a bit better”.
Stann says that he feels that MMA does a “heck of a job” honoring the service of those in the military, saying that its “one of the most patriotic sports there is”. An injury stopped him fighting on Fight for the Troops, with Stann being clear that should the UFC do the rumored sequel event in Afghanistan “if they don’t put me on that event…then they I will make my own journey there” as such an event would give him the chance to fight “in front of my heroes”.
Heart for the Fight – A Marine Hero’s Journey from the Battlefields of Iraq to Mixed Martial Arts Champion is released in mid-September
