UFC 125: Chris Leben vs Brian Stann possible for January 1
by James Kimball on Sep 22, 2010 4:29 PM EDT
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When Chris Leben says he'll fight anybody, he means it. Even if his opponent is an apparent step backwards.
After beating Aaron Simpson and Yoshihiro Akiyama all within two weeks just a couple short months ago, MMA Weekly brings word that "The Crippler" has been rewarded for that feat with a bout against Brian Stann.
Guess Leben will have to wait a little longer for that Wanderlei Silva fight.
As previously mentioned, Leben defeated Aaron Simpson at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 11 Finale in late June, only to step in for an injured Wanderlei Silva against Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116 just two weeks later where he surprised almost everyone with a submission win over "Sexyama," seemingly propelling him to the top tier of the 185-pound division.
Key word being: seemingly.
"The Axe Murderer" is currently rehabbing from surgery after all, so a fight with Stann very well may have been at Leben's request while Silva continues to heal.
While the old adage of anything can happen in a fight holds true, surely Chris will walk into the cage against Brian as a heavy favorite.
The former Marine quickly made a name for himself in the MMA community using some serious power to dispatch of the first six opponents of his career in the first round via strikes.
After suffering his first loss in a rematch with Steve Cantwell at WEC 35, the WEC's light heavyweight division was absorbed into the UFC, where Stann hasn't enjoyed nearly the same success as he did in the UFC's sister promotion.
Now 9-3, Brian has gone just 3-2 inside the Octagon, losing to Krzysztof Soszynski at UFC 97 while defeating Steve Cantwell in their trilogy fight at UFC Fight Night: "Diaz vs. Guillard" and Rodney Wallace at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale. Stann's less than stellar ground game was thoroughly exploited his last time out at UFC 109 against top prospect Phil Davis.
Stann is coming off a submission win of his own at UFC on Versus 2 against Mike Massenzio just last month.
Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more news on UFC 125 as it becomes available.
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Well that's a step down from his last fight.
Lesnar isn't the most skilled fighter but until somebody beats him he is the #1 HW in the world. It's obviously not Fedor and sure as hell isn't Werdum!
An injured Anderson Silva managed to finish a cheating Sonnen who failed his drug test but GSP can't finish a natural WW who isn't a dinosaur and won't take a fight at an above weight class. Let's not kid ourselves about who the real P4P king is!
True. I would be asking for something higher profile if I was Leben. Honestly, I think Stann will end his little streak though.
by HappyLittleTreez on Sep 22, 2010 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions
I think he did want something higher profile
He called out Wand, and ends up getting Stann. WEAK!!!!
I hope Stann makes a bigger name off of Leben
I was Leben’s biggest fan… WAS. Then I met the douche and I hope he gets smashed from here on out.
Nothing Ever Changes When Nothing Ever Changes
That doesn't surprise me really, I still root for the guy but hanginng with with him doesn't sound like it'd be fun.
Drink to remember, drink to forget.
by doonerthesooner on Sep 23, 2010 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions
You're right....
I never thought I would say this about Leban but, the he’s been fighting this might be a step down.
oh yeah, he's got a shot but Leben winning this...
doens’t mean much ya know.
Lesnar isn't the most skilled fighter but until somebody beats him he is the #1 HW in the world. It's obviously not Fedor and sure as hell isn't Werdum!
An injured Anderson Silva managed to finish a cheating Sonnen who failed his drug test but GSP can't finish a natural WW who isn't a dinosaur and won't take a fight at an above weight class. Let's not kid ourselves about who the real P4P king is!
Leben will finish Stann too
Sucks, I was really looking forward to a fight with Wand. When’s he due back anyway?
Shogun Rua vs Rogerio Nogueira 2 coming soon!
LATE TAKEDOWN FTW
GO GUNNERS!! Arsenal FC
by Synyster_08 on Sep 22, 2010 4:44 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Time to change your sig...
Lesnar isn't the most skilled fighter but until somebody beats him he is the #1 HW in the world. It's obviously not Fedor and sure as hell isn't Werdum!
An injured Anderson Silva managed to finish a cheating Sonnen who failed his drug test but GSP can't finish a natural WW who isn't a dinosaur and won't take a fight at an above weight class. Let's not kid ourselves about who the real P4P king is!
The GSP part of your sig, what's that a reference to?
Drink to remember, drink to forget.
by doonerthesooner on Sep 22, 2010 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions
kinda sucks how Leben could win 2 straight
one in a co-main event
but a loss here could erase all of that.
and as will be mentioned over and over again, a win doesn’t really do much.
I don’t care who Leben fights, because he’s always has exciting fights
by skyhawkmd on Sep 22, 2010 4:51 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
^^this^^
but yeah I don’t see the upside in this one
Drink to remember, drink to forget.
by doonerthesooner on Sep 22, 2010 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Bad match making if this happens
this would be a big step down. i love stann and all but its a step down for leban. its a good fight for stann though
GREAT fight for Stann
the average viewer has no idea who he is, but a win like this on a main card will start to put him into the general conciousness (maybe)
hopefully Leben will shut him down and become even more of a world beater
MORE of a world beater!?
How can Leben be more of something he’s not? I guess losing back to back to Jason McDonald and Kalib Starnes makes you a world beater? I realize he’s now on a three fight streak but C’mon man! I’ll be in the minority and pick Stann to win here. Go watch the Brian Marshall fight to see how. No I’m not comparing Leben to Marshall that’s just my prediction for how it will go down.
Do not. I repeat, do not, go to mma-core.com. I made the mistake of watching a couple UFC 108 bouts on there and I am still trying to get all the viruses of my computer. Ridiculous! You've been warned.
by fenderacoustic (formerly wAyNe) on Sep 22, 2010 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions
I like this fight
Stann will stand with him. That’s all I want to see in my Leben fights. (Not that I didn’t appreciate his triangle of Sexyama.)
"Give a man a match, and he'll be warm for a minute, but set him on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
Fan of: Cole Miller, Dentist Neer, Alan Belcher, Bones Jones, Frank Mir
Pretty crappy matchup for Leben
Definitely a step down. He must have wanted to have something just to keep busy with Wand out. Leben via zombie KO in the third.
Did some looking and answered my question…. Didn’t realize he dropped
by therealdames on Sep 22, 2010 6:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Hmm
Leben is one of my favourite fighters and this could be dangerous for him. Hope Stann tries to stand with him as opposed to lay n pray so Leben can get another highlight real finish. I think Leben vs Sexyama was one of the better fights of the year. Hopefully this is just a filler fight till Wand is healed, Leben was probably tired of waiting around for Wand to heal and didn’t want to get rusty.
Every fighter has a plan until he gets hit
Agreed...
I don’t understand why they would give Leben who is on a 3 fight win streak against better opponents than Stann is. Lose, lose for Leben, I hope that they don’t end up making this match-up
Agreed, I'm no Leben fan but he's got the shit end of the stick here
Steps up at short notice to take on highly rated (by some) Akiyama, WINS and then gets rewarded with this fight??? Poor, poor matchmaking and a bit of a kick in the teeth for leben.
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