About Brian Stann
On September 24, 1980, at Yokota Air Force Base in Tokyo, Japan, Brian Stann was born. He relocated to Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he grew up, not long after that.
Childhood
In his book Heart for the Struggle, Stann described his time living on the rough streets of Scranton, where he had to fight to survive. His mother somehow managed to find the money to send him to Scranton Preparatory School, where he excelled in football along the way. While there, Stann set school records for a quarterback’s career throwing and rushing yards. Stann was a model student, perhaps due to a maturity that few others possessed.
selecting a university
Many Division I and I-AA institutions, including Yale and Harvard, recruited Stann. He initially intended to attend an Ivy League institution, but there was a problem—they did not provide scholarships, and his family could not pay the tuition. But after returning from the Naval Academy, his friend Clinton Cornell let him know how much he had enjoyed it. He found that the school’s emphasis on devotion and discipline was more appealing than drinking and partying. He enrolled at the United States Naval Academy shortly after that.
NCAA Football
Stann spent his first two seasons at Navy on the practice squad. He did attend the Saturday games in his final two years. His initial attempt at quarterback failed because the offense didn’t fit his particular skill set. He decided to play linebacker as a result. Despite never getting the team’s quarterback or linebacker starts, he did participate in special teams. More importantly, he never gave up, and his tenacity seems to have been a recurring motif throughout his life.
Stann eventually received his Academy diploma and played for two coaches, Charlie Weatherbie and Paul Johnson. Additionally, he received a Bachelor of Science in Economics.
Defense Forces
Stann joined the Marines after graduating and was given a position as an infantry officer, rising to the rank of Captain. He was in charge of the 2nd Mobile Assault Platoon on May 8, 2005 while serving with the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines. While attempting to seize the Ramana Bridge in the vicinity of Karabilah, Iraq, his unit came under attack from rebels. His entire 42-person platoon made it through the initial six days of combat. For his actions, Stann received the Silver Star, the third-highest honor bestowed by the country for bravery in battle. In May 2008, Stann retired from the military. While in the WEC, he was still the commanding officer of the Marines.
Initial MMA Years
On January 6, 2006, Stann faced Aaron Stark in his professional MMA debut. Stann won via TKO. In reality, he won his first six matches, including the WEC Light Heavyweight Championship match against Doug Marshall. Stann then suffered two consecutive defeats, one to Steve Cantwell, an opponent he had previously defeated, and the other to Krzysztof Soszynski in his UFC debut. Even though he won his next two fights, including the rematch with Cantwell, he discovered in his third bout against Phil Davis that light heavyweights were simply too much for him. He switched to middleweight as a result.
Combative Style
Stann is a large, strong middleweight boxer who enjoys standing and pounding. He is one of the most powerful middleweight punchers out there, despite having strength as a light heavyweight. Additionally, since beginning to train with Greg Jackson, both his takedown defense and the rest of his skills have significantly improved over time.
Stann is recognized for being a really hard worker with a lot of heart, which is not surprising.
Personal Life
Stann met Teressa, his college sweetheart, while back home in Scranton visiting his family, and they got married. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Services from Marywood University. Teressa previously cheered for the Philadelphia Eagles.