LAS VEGAS — Winning streaks die hard in the UFC. Just ask Chris Leben, who thought he was about to join the middleweight title picture with a fourth straight win on Saturday night, only to find himself splayed across the canvas after Brian Stann was through with him.
While Stann was once a WEC champion, the knockout win over Leben was something of a star-making performance, a violent announcement of himself as a potential contender.
It’s a division that needs more talent, and beating Leben at UFC 125 will definitely open some eyes about Stann’s potential.
Afterward, Stann said he hoped the KO was the start of a big 2011, with the goal of breaking on to the list of elite middleweights during the calendar year.