Stann needs to fight competative fighters, wether he wins or loses at this point, but throwing him in against people like Wanderlei Silva, or Liddell is a bit early yet.

I personally think that those fights will all come eventually. Eventually being the keyword. Opponents like Thiago Silva, or Matt Hammil make sense at this juncture, although I think you’ll see Thiago and Lyoto Machida before you will Stann. In fact, I think that match up is an issue that almost -has- to be resolved. They’re both undefeated and looking for a chance at a title shot in the UFC, one of them needs to prove that they are the legitimate contender.

Stann needs to move out of the WEC obviously before he’ll get a crack at any of those guys…and I honestly, am not sure who in the WEC can test him.

Brian has already demonstrated his knock out power, and a pretty resilient chin, but I have not seen him in the ring against any competitor the same physical size as he is. Inside the ring, I’m not aware of his limits really being tested as of yet, even when he took the belt he was unphazed.

It isn’t that I don’t believe Brian can hang with the likes of Liddell, Wand, or Jackson, it’s just that we haven’t seen him do it yet.

Neither have we seen Brian really have the chance to display any substantial versatility via ground game or extended striking because he’s knocked so many opponents out so quickly.

I am happy to watch him develop in the WBC currently, and refine his game as well as get a chance to display some of the other skills he is OBVIOUSLY working on developing. I think it would be a bit of a shame for Stann to move over to the UFC early. It’s like giving an unseasoned boxer a chance at a title fight too early in their career, better to bring them along slowly and surely. Give Stan several title bouts to defend in the WEC against opponents that will try and force him out of his current mode, and let us all see the other talents he has to display.

He has that rare combination of good looks, charismatic behavior, ferocious attitude within the ring, and unique background with his Silver Star and two separate tours in Iraq.

Lets hope that MMA is graced with a few more men like him, as they go a long way toward establishing the type of “social” “moral” legitimacy that will bring MMA in general fully into main stream acceptance.