▁where ▁he ▁learned ▁to ▁channel ▁his ▁ag gress ive ▁energy ▁from ▁into ▁organized ▁fighting . ▁Le vens ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁tal ented ▁baseball ▁player ▁at ▁Cap ist rano ▁Valley ▁High ▁School , ▁continu ing ▁his ▁career ▁briefly ▁in ▁minor ▁league ▁baseball , ▁and ▁also ▁joined ▁the ▁Navy ▁for ▁a ▁few ▁years ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁train ▁in ▁mart ial ▁arts ▁and ▁M MA . ▁Le vens ▁began ▁training ▁at ▁Marco ▁Ru as ' ▁V ale ▁T udo ▁a cademy ▁in ▁Orange ▁County . ▁ ▁M ixed ▁mart ial ▁arts ▁career ▁Le vens ▁fought ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁taking ▁the ▁nick name ▁" The ▁Exec ution er ". ▁Le vens ' ▁first ▁fight ▁was ▁a ▁victory ▁against ▁H ector ▁Car ril o ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁He ▁had ▁a ▁string ▁of ▁wins ▁after ▁the ▁Car ril o ▁fight ▁for ▁almost ▁two ▁years . ▁ ▁After ▁his ▁sevent h ▁win , ▁he ▁lost ▁to ▁Scott ▁Smith ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁After ▁his ▁loss ▁to ▁Smith , ▁Le vens ▁was ▁called ▁in ▁by ▁the ▁U FC ▁to ▁fight ▁former ▁U FC ▁Middle weight ▁Champion ▁E van ▁T anner , ▁replacing ▁an ▁injured ▁Jer emy ▁Horn ▁on ▁short ▁notice . ▁He ▁lost ▁the ▁fight ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁round ▁by ▁triangle ▁cho ke ▁submission . ▁Le vens ▁next ▁faced ▁prospect ▁Jorge ▁Santiago ▁at ▁U FC ▁Fight ▁Night ▁ 6 . ▁He ▁lost ▁the ▁fight ▁after ▁getting ▁caught ▁by ▁a ▁kne e ▁in ▁the