Brian Stann Brian Michael Stann ( born September 24 , 1980 ) is a retired American mixed martial artist and U . S . Marine who competed as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship . He is a former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion . Stann is President and CEO of Hire Heroes USA , a non - for - profit organization that helps U . S . military veterans . He is also a commentator for ACC football games on Fox Sports South . Early life and military career . Stann was born at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo , Japan , and grew up in Scranton , Pennsylvania . He graduated from Scranton Preparatory School and subsequently enrolled in the United States Naval Academy in 1999 ( Class of 2003 ) . He played football for the Midshipmen as a middle linebacker while at the Naval Academy . Upon graduation , he was assigned as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps and achieved the rank of Captain . On May 8 , 2005 , then Lieutenant Stann was assigned to the 3rd Battalion , 2nd Marines , and he commanded the 2nd Mobile Assault Platoon . His unit was ambushed by insurgents during Operation Matador while trying to secure Ramana Bridge , near Karabilah . Stann and his Marines held out for six days under heavy attacks while coordinating air and tank support that eventually allowed them to be relieved on May 14 , 2005 . All 42 Marines in Stann ' s platoon survived . The following March , Stann was awarded the Silver Star , the nation ' s third - highest award for valor in combat . Part of the citation reads : " Second Lieutenant Stann personally directed two casualty operations , three vehicle recovery operations and multiple close air support missions under enemy small arms , machine gun and mortar fire in his 360 - degree fight . " This mission was shown on the episode , " Iraq ' s Most Wanted " on the History Channel show , Shootout ! , in which Stann was interviewed . His actions were noted by President George W . Bush during one of his speeches . He left active duty in the Marine Corps as of May 2008 . Captain Stann was also the commanding officer in the 8th Marine Regiment Headquarters Company while continuing to fight in the WEC . Marine Corps officials have stated that they continue to use Stann ' s story as a recruiting tool , and he attributes his success in mixed martial arts to the foundation he learned fighting at the Marine Corps Martial Arts Center for Excellence in Quantico , Va . " He has been an ideal spokesperson and role model " , said Lt . Col . Mike Zeliff , assistant chief of staff for advertising with Marine Corps Recruiting Command . Mixed martial arts career . Stann began his fighting career in 2006 , while still serving on active duty , and used accumulated leave to take time for training and fights . World Extreme Cagefighting . On March 26 , 2008 , Stann defeated Doug Marshall via KO to become the WEC Light Heavyweight champion . With this victory , Stann ' s MMA record reached 6 – 0 , with five victories in the WEC . In August 2008 Stann lost his title in his first defense in a rematch against Steve Cantwell . Ultimate Fighting Championship . In 2008 , Zuffa announced plans to shut down the WEC ' s 185 - lb and 205 - lb weight classes , and bring all of those fighters to the UFC by 2009 , leaving the WEC to concentrate on lighter weight classes . Stann was scheduled to make his UFC debut on December 10 , 2008 , at the show , to be held at the Army base of Fort Bragg , North Carolina , but sustained a foot injury and was forced to withdraw from the card . Instead , he faced Krzysztof Soszynski at UFC 97 in Montreal , Canada , on April 18 , 2009 . In the first round , Soszynski locked Stann in a kimura , forcing him to tap out for the first time . Stann later stated in an issue of UFC Magazine , that due to previous military commitments , he did not have time to prepare for the " grappling - based " aspect of the fight and was why he lost ( which was evident during the fight , doing what most ground - fighting coaches tell fighters not to do , and that was flip your hips away from your opponent in an attempt to get up , as it can leave a fighter open for easily - set - up submission attempts ) . On September 16 , 2009 , at , Stann once again faced Steve Cantwell in a rubber match . Stann would go on to defeat Cantwell via unanimous decision . This would also be the first time he would fight to a decision in his professional career . Stann defeated UFC newcomer Rodney Wallace on December 5 , 2009 , at by unanimous decision . Stann then faced UFC newcomer Phil Davis on February 6 , 2010 , at UFC 109 and lost via unanimous decision . Following the fight , Stann then revealed he would drop to the 185 lbs . Middleweight division . Stann then made his middleweight debut against Mike Massenzio on August 1 , 2010 , at UFC on Versus 2 . Stann claimed his first ever submission victory , catching Massenzio in a triangle choke midway through the final round , in a bout that earned " Fight of the Night " honors . Stann then fought in the co - main event of UFC 125 on New Years Day . He defeated Chris Leben with a first - round TKO stoppage . He floored Leben with a right and knocked him down again with body punches . Finally he delivered a knee which sent Leben down as the referee stopped the fight at 3 : 37 of the opening round . With this win he became the second man to defeat Leben by way of strikes , the first being former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva . Stann was scheduled to face former Pride Middleweight Champion Wanderlei Silva on May 28 , 2011 , at UFC 130 . However , Silva voiced his reluctance to face Stann and was replaced by former Sengoku Middleweight Champion Jorge Santiago . Stann defeated Santiago via TKO in the 2nd round after a right to the temple sent Santiago down and numerous strikes forced a stoppage . Stann then fought Chael Sonnen on October 8 , 2011 at UFC 136 where he was defeated via second round submission . Stann faced Alessio Sakara on April 14 , 2012 at . After knocking down Sakara early with knees from the clinch Stann threw down some heavy ground and pound delivering some short elbows and hammerfists that knocked Sakara out . Stann was awarded the victory at 2 : 26 of the first round . After the fight , Stann was praised by many MMA media outlets for the stoppage of Sakara . After Stann delivered the knockout blow , he sat up and motioned to the ref that Sakara was out , instead of delivering unnecessary blows before the ref could jump in and stop the fight . Stann ' s actions were highly praised by many , with UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones saying that Brian Stann was " good for the sport . " UFC president Dana White also issued his praise for Stann ' s performance . Stann was expected to face Hector Lombard on August 4 , 2012 at UFC on Fox 4 . However , Stann was forced out of the bout citing a shoulder injury . Stann faced Michael Bisping on September 22 , 2012 at UFC 152 and lost by unanimous decision . Stann faced Wanderlei Silva in a light heavyweight bout on March 3 , 2013 at UFC on Fuel TV 8 . Stann lost the fight via KO in the second round in a bout that featured back and forth action , and earned both participants " Fight of the Night " honors . Retirement . On a special edition of the MMA Hour on July 11 , 2013 , Stann announced his retirement from mixed martial arts . Personal life . Stann and his wife Teressa have a daughter named Alexandra . They currently reside in Johns Creek , Georgia . The couple had their second daughter , DeAnna on November 30 , 2009 . In the fall of 2010 , Stann published his memoir " Heart for the Fight : A Marine Hero ' s Journey from the Battlefields of Iraq to Mixed Martial Arts Champion " ( Zenith Press ) . Written with military historian John R . Bruning , " Heart for the Fight " details Stann ' s experiences as a youth growing up in Scranton , PA , playing football for the U . S . Naval Academy , serving as a decorated Marine in Iraq , and becoming WEC Light Heavyweight Champion .