In 2008, Brian Stann would complete his trilogy with Steve Cantwell in a fight most expected Cantwell to win. Instead, Stann showed off vastly improved boxing skills credited with training with Greg Jackson, and frustrated Cantwell for three rounds. Despite the improvements however, Stann was matched up with elite level wrestler Phil Davis in 2010, and after getting crushed for three rounds, decided to move down to the middleweight division. He has had two fights at middleweight so far, and looked great in both. He showed an excellent ability to get off the ground against wrestler Mike Massenzio, and knocked out a resurging Chris Leben using his counter punching style. Now, Stann is looking to go 3-0 as a middleweight and possibly take a run at the title.
Latest Jorge Santiago Vs Brian Stann Betting Odds;
Jorge Santiago (Evens) @ Bodog.Com
Brian Stann (-125) @ Bodog.Com
A lot of people expected Santiago’s career to be done after getting knocked out twice in the UFC, however he had other plans. Santiago has since managed to enter the top 10 of the division by winning tournaments in Strikeforce and Sengoku, along with the Sengoku middleweight crown. In 2009, Santiago suffered his only blemish since being cut from the UFC by losing to Mamed Khalidov by a very rare punch from the guard (Santiago was on top), however Santiago would avenge that a year later to cement his top 10 position in the ranks. Most recently, Santiago defended his Sengoku title in a fight of the year performance against Kazuo Misaki, and with the seeming demise of high level MMA in Japan, Santiago has been picked up by the UFC.
The big thing people seem to be talking about in this fight is the dynamic between Stann’s power and Santiago’s chin. It takes a lot of power to knock out a guy like Leben, and Stann did just that. On the other hand, Santiago has been known to get dropped easily and often, and his recent loss against Khalidov only solidified that perception.
However despite the fact that Santiago has a bad chin and Stann has big power, this doesn’t necessarily mean that a standup fight favours Stann. Santiago has shown a more diverse array of strikes throughout his career, and it’s perfectly within the realm of possibilities that he could knock Stann out or win a decision via outstriking him.
However personally, I don’t think Santiago is willing to take that gamble. Santiago’s perceived advantage in this fight is his jiujitsu, and if he brings this fight to the ground he should be able to win. However, Santiago has never been known as much of a wrestler, and it’s unclear whether he will be able to take Stann down, let alone hold him down, since Stann has recently shown a fantastic ability to keep the fight standing.
Ultimately, while we haven’t seen Santiago employ elite level takedowns yet in his MMA career, I believe that his time spent with new training partner Rashad Evans will make the difference in that department. If this fight stays standing, I think it’s 60/40
Stann, but if Santiago can bring it to the ground, and I think he can, the prediction is that he will take the fight. The problem is that banking on improvements based on a single training partner isn’t enough for me enough to warrant a bet, and Stann can end this fight with one punch.
Prediction: The pick is Santiago, but at even odds no bet is recommended. If the odds become “+” we recommend a small bet on a Santiago victory.
Jorge Santiago Vs Brian Stann Odds;
Jorge Santiago (Evens) @ Bodog.Com
Brian Stann (-125) @ Bodog.Com
