Who's next for Brian Stann?

[Uncle Chester]

With this win over Leben Stann is an exciting new prospect in the division and who he fights next is very important as it could propel Stann to top tier in UFC.

So who would you like to see him fight? Maybe a rematch with Leben?

Thoughts

 

[jmt225]

Well, he "wants" Wanderlei Silva, but I don't think it's going to happen since Wandy vs. Chael is pretty much guaranteed to go down at this point, which is lucky for Stann, since Wandy would knock his head off.

Anyways, I think the UFC will want to put him in there with a contender for his next fight, someone like either Nate Marquardt or Demian Maia. Usually after showing the UFC you can compete against good strikers, they want to test you by putting you in there with guys who will want to get the fight to the ground. Nate would try to lay-n-pray Stann, while of course Maia would try to tap his ass out.

So, yeah... I would bet it's between those two for his next opponent, especially since neither have anything scheduled at this point. Both are fights Stann should be able to easily win if he's able to keep it standing, but if he's not, then he'll get dominated. Either way, I think Stann has a long career in the UFC regardless. The whole Marine thing, plus the excitement he will bring to every fight... the UFC will milk him for all he's worth.

 

[INDYjon22]

Yeah, Marquardt or Maia are likely to be his next fight. Both are top Middleweights and would definitely help to show how good Brian Stann really is. I would also not be surprised at all to see Stann fight Palhares next. Palhares's name has just begun to surface with the top UFC Middleweights and seeing how has last fight ended in a somewhat controversial manner I wouldn't be surprised to see him take on another potential contender in Stann. I personally don't really see Stann making all that much of an impact in the division but he should make for some fun fights like he had with Leben.

 

[Window Licker 101]

He wants Wanderlei. Chael wants Wanderlei. Fuck it I say make it Chael Sonnen vs Brian Stann. Thats what I think should happen. I know I will get hate for this post but if Wanderlei isn't ready and Sonnen's suspension is nearly up and Stann is hungry for more Octagon time why not?

BUT realisticly I would like to see Alan Belcher return to the UFC against Brian Stann. That fight would be similar to the Leben one but only I reckon Belcher would do better. Belcher was on a tear stopping Gouveia and Cote, and some could argue he beat Akiyama, before he got injuried. A win over Stann would do him wonders and catapult him in the top 10 for sure.

 

[Buffalo Dave]

What the hell, another guy calling out Wandy. That now makes Akiyama, Bisping, Maraquardt, Chael, and now Stann. The UFC can just make a mini tourney to determine Silva's next opponent (JK).

It sucks that Bisping is fighting Rivera at UFC 127 at the end of February, because Bisping/Stann would be a nice stand up war to watch. I would've completely agreed with Indy on saying Palhares could be Stann's next opponent but he is fighting Alexandre Ferreira in March at UFC on Versus 3, but we know fights can always change.

So now I just went through the Middleweights, and anyone I would've paired him up against has a fight booked within the next two months, except Maia and Maraquardt. Either one of the two would be a great test for Stann, but he would probably lose if it went to the ground. Maia he would beat in the stand up game, but Maia would be smart and take it to the ground throughout the fight. Maraquardt has a better chance at standing with him.

 

[Uncle Chester]

I think JMT brings up a good point on the likeliness of a grappler facing an opponent who's proven himself as a striker. I personally would love to see him against Maia, just because it would be an interesting fight. He just isn't established enough to be fighting Wanderlei. That would be the smallest draw out of any of the guys who challenged Silva. But I like Stann, he's big, good striking but there are question marks if other aspects of his game such as his jiu jitsu are good enough for UFC.