Brian Stann is one of the most respected figures to ever compete in the UFC. Stann, a former Marine who received the Silver Star and won the WEC Light Heavyweight Championship before joining UFC in 2009..
Inside the UFC, Stann amassed a 6-4 record, competing against the best fighters of the day before retiring from competition in 2013. He retired and moved to the UFC’s commentary booth. There he was a primary color commentator and analyst. His work earned him universal praise. Ultimately, he left that role in 2017 to pursue other interests, and having managed a successful career in MMA, and afterward, he has some words of advice to all the young fighters just beginning their MMA careers.
“There are four things that I would say to them,” Stann stated on The MMA Hour .. Save your money is number one. It’s not going to last forever. You could be without any income for a year if you sustain a catastrophic injury. You can save your money.
“Number two, you have to very carefully manage your brand. You cannot afford to be out with some friends, have a couple of drinks, and start firing off social media posts. Information is incredibly fast in today’s world. Your brand can be seriously damaged if something you have to say is not understood or taken out-of-context. Fans and media could also make it very difficult for you. This is a sport that you can’t afford to lose.
“The third thing I would tell them is do not leave your chin in the gym. In my time, people used to train so hard that they didn’t get paid. This sport is too competitive. We also overspare. We need to look at it through a longevity lens. What can you do to arrive at your fight in top condition and with the most damage taking ability? Because as good of a fighter as you want to be, if you start getting knocked out — look at Luke Rockhold. He’s as skilled as any fighter out there, but all of a sudden, someone who is worse than him can clip him and win a fight. So he’s probably taken some time off to rejuvenate, recoup. You’ve got to be careful how you train.
” The fourth is to have a hobby. Know there’s a lot of downtime in fighting, and I think fighters need to understand they’re only gonna spend a very short window of their life doing this. How will you spend your time next? And don’t be afraid to invest in that. Whether it’s going and finishing your degree, getting a graduate degree, going and learning an additional skill, investing in a business or doing something else, you will have to do something else for a living when this is over. Don’t be afraid to put some effort into it. This could prove to be a good investment. It could take some pressure off you during your fight career, just mentally. You have to prepare and put in the effort for what’s coming next.
Stann retired from MMA with an overall career record of 12-6. He is currently the President and CEO of Hunt Military Communities, a privatized military housing company that services over 120,000 military residents and families.
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