Brian Michael Stann (born September 24, 1980) is an American former mixed martial artist and U.S. Marine who competed in the middleweight and light Heavyweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

During the Operation Matador (which took place during the Battle of Al-Qa'im), his unit was ambushed by insurgents while trying to secure the Ramana Bridge, near Karabilah.

Stann and his unit held out for six days, under heavy attack, while coordinating air and tank support that eventually allowed them to be relieved on May 14, 2005.

Stann later stated in an issue of UFC Magazine that, because of previous military commitments, he was unable to adequately prepare himself for the "grappling-based" aspects of the fight, which contributed to his loss.

On September 16, 2009, at UFC Fight Night: Diaz vs. Guillard, Stann once again faced Steve Cantwell in a rubber match.

Stann defeated UFC newcomer Rodney Wallace on December 5, 2009, at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale by unanimous decision.

[14] 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.

UFC president Dana White also issued his praise for Stann's actions in the cage, calling him "one of the classiest people on Earth!".

[22] On March 3, 2013, at UFC on Fuel TV 8, the long-awaited fight between Stann and Wanderlei Silva happened, in a Light-Heavyweight division showdown.

[25][26] On a special edition of Ariel Helwani's MMA Hour on July 11, 2013, Stann announced his retirement from mixed martial arts competition.

[31] For nine years, Stann was president and CEO of Hire Heroes USA, a nonprofit organization that helps U.S. military veterans.

Until August 2021 he was the Chief Operating Officer at FirstKey Homes (a Cerberus Capital Management portfolio company) and is currently CEO of Hunt Military Communities.

[32] 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.