The very thing that made Chris Leben so famous also proved to be his downfall at UFC 125.
That's because Brian Stann stayed in tight and picked his shots while "The Crippler" was rushing in looking for the big knockout punch. Instead, he was the one knocked out (technically).
It was thought these two would have a stand up war and that's exactly what they did. Both fighters came pushing forward to start bout but Stann was the one landing his punches.
No matter, Leben, like a zombie, continued to press forward despite the missiles the "All American" was sending at his dome.
Before long, referre Josh Rosenthal became Leben's savior.
After surviving the initial onslaught, Leben just couldn't handle the sheer volume of strikes Stann was sending his way. On multiple occasions, "The Crippler" looked like he was done for, only to see the referee give him every possible chance to do what he does best -- make the big comeback.
Unfortunately for him, it was not to be and Stann put himself on the map in a big way with a dominant victory in the very first round against a top middleweight contender.
For Leben, it deals a devastating blow to his bid to climb up to a 185-pound title shot.
For Stann, that ascension has just begun.
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