"[Being a war veteran is] the reason why I'm a successful fighter. Combat is a more complex environment than fighting. Mentally, the reason I win fights is because I can simplify a fight and not overcomplicate it. I don't walk into that cage full of fear. I've been through war already. It makes fighting much, much easier.... I'm not scared of getting beat. I'm not scared of getting hurt. I'm not going to lose legs. I'm not going to lose any limbs. I'm not going to have to call one of my guy's parents and let them know that their son is dead. It's obviously much easier. That's why it's a sport. War is obviously very real. At the end of a fight, the worst thing getting hurt is my pride. Nobody is going to die."

-- Brian Stann tells the Washington Post about his days in combat on the battlefields of Iraq and how those experiences have helped him become an undefeated WEC light heavyweight champion. "All American" will put his newly-won 205-pound title on the line for the first time tonight against Steve Cantwell at WEC 35 from "The Joint" at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.