Urijah Faber
 |
Name | Urijah Faber |
| Nickname | The California Kid | |
| Association | Capital City Fighting Alliance | |
| Weight Class | Featherweight (145 lbs.)/ Bantamweight (135 lbs.) | |
| Height | 5' 6" (168 cm) | |
| Style | Wrestling | |
| Birth Date | May 14, 1979 | |
| Fighting Out Of | Sacramento, California | |
| Country | USA | |
| Urijah Faber Pictures | Faber's Official Site |
Urijah Christopher Faber is an American mixed martial arts fighter currently fighting as a Featherweight in the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) organization. Faber won the WEC featherweight championship at WEC 19 on March 17, 2006 and held the title for two and a half years until his loss to Mike Brown at WEC 36 on November 5, 2008. He is known as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
Contents |
Professional Record
| Record | 27 - 6 - 0 (Win – Loss – Draw) |
| Wins | 7 (T)KOs 15 Submissions 4 Decisions 1 Other |
| Losses | 2 (T)KOs 0 Submissions 4 Decisions |
| Result | Opponent | Method | Event Title | Date | Round | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Ivan Menjivar | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | UFC 157: Rousey vs. Carmouche | 2/23/2013 | 1 | 4:34 | |
| Loss | Renan Pegado | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 149: Faber vs. Barao | 7/21/2012 | 5 | 5:00 | For UFC Interim Bantamweight Championship |
| Win | Brian Bowles | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson | 11/19/2011 | 2 | 1:27 | Won Submission of the Night |
| Loss | Dominick Cruz | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber 2 | 7/02/2011 | 5 | 5:00 | For UFC Bantamweight Championship; Won Fight of the Night |
| Win | Eddie Wineland | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones | 3/19/2011 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Takeya Mizugaki | Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | WEC 52: Faber vs. Mizugaki | 11/11/2010 | 1 | 4:50 | |
| Loss | Jose Aldo | Decision (Unanimous) | WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber | 4/24/2010 | 5 | 5:00 | For WEC Featherweight Championship |
| Win | Raphael Assuncao | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | WEC 46: Varner vs. Henderson | 1/10/2010 | 3 | 3:49 | Won Submission of the Night |
| Loss | Mike Brown | Decision (Unanimous) | WEC 41: Brown vs. Faber 2 | 6/07/2009 | 5 | 5:00 | For WEC Featherweight Championship; Won Fight of the Night |
| Win | Jens Pulver | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | WEC 38: Varner vs. Cerrone | 1/25/2009 | 1 | 1:34 | Won Submission of the Night |
| Loss | Mike Brown | TKO (Punches) | WEC 36: Faber vs. Brown | 11/05/2008 | 1 | 2:23 | Lost WEC Featherweight Championship |
| Win | Jens Pulver | Decision (Unanimous) | WEC 34: Faber vs. Pulver | 6/01/2008 | 5 | 5:00 | Defended WEC Featherweight Championship; Won Fight of the Night |
| Win | Jeff Curran | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | WEC 31: Faber vs. Curran | 12/12/2007 | 2 | 4:34 | Defended WEC Featherweight Championship |
| Win | Chance Farrar | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | WEC 28: Faber vs. Farrar | 6/03/2007 | 1 | 3:19 | Defended WEC Featherweight Championship |
| Win | Dominick Cruz | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | WEC 26: Condit vs. Alessio | 3/24/2007 | 1 | 1:38 | Defended WEC Featherweight Championship |
| Win | Joe Pearson | Submission (Punches and Elbows) | WEC 25: McCullough vs. Cope | 1/20/2007 | 1 | 2:31 | Defended WEC Featherweight Championship |
| Win | Bibiano Fernandes | TKO (Doctor Stoppage) | KOTC: All Stars | 10/28/2006 | 1 | 4:16 | Defended KOTC Bantamweight (145 lbs.) Championship; Vacated title to compete for WEC |
| Win | Enoch Wilson | TKO (Doctor Stoppage) | FCP: Malice at Cow Palace | 9/9/2006 | 2 | 1:01 | |
| Win | Naoya Uematsu | TKO (Punches) | GC 51: Madness at the Memorial | 7/01/2006 | 2 | 3:35 | Won Gladiator Challenge Bantamweight Championship (Vacant); held 3 titles at once (GC, KOTC, and WEC) |
| Win | Charlie Valencia | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | KOTC: Predator | 5/13/2006 | 1 | 3:09 | Defended KOTC Bantamweight (145 lbs.) Championship |
| Win | Cole Escovedo | TKO (Corner Stoppage) | WEC 19: Undisputed | 3/17/2006 | 2 | 5:00 | Won WEC Featherweight Championship |
| Win | Ivan Menjivar | DQ (Illegal kick to downed opponent) | TKO 24: Eruption | 1/28/2006 | 2 | 2:02 | |
| Win | Charles Bennett | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | GC 46: Avalanche | 12/11/2005 | 1 | 4:38 | |
| Win | Shawn Bias | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | KOTC: Execution Day | 10/29/2005 | 1 | 1:24 | Defended KOTC Bantamweight (145 lbs.) Championship |
| Loss | Tyson Griffin | TKO (Punches) | GC 41: Summer Slam | 9/10/2005 | 3 | 0:05 | Lost Gladiator Challenge Bantamweight Championship |
| Win | Hiroyuki Abe | TKO (Cut) | KOTC: Mortal Sins | 5/07/2005 | 3 | 2:37 | Defended KOTC Bantamweight (145 lbs.) Championship |
| Win | David Granados | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | GC 35: Cold Fury | 3/13/2005 | 1 | 2:13 | Defended Gladiator Challenge Bantamweight Championship |
| Win | Eben Kaneshiro | Submission (Punches) | KOTC: Revenge | 11/14/2004 | 3 | 4:33 | Won KOTC Bantamweight (145 lbs.) Championship |
| Win | Rami Boukai | Decision (Majority) | KOTC: San Jacinto | 9/24/2004 | 2 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Del Hawkins | TKO (Punches) | GC 30: Gladiator Challenge 30 | 8/19/2004 | 1 | 3:19 | Defended Gladiator Challenge Bantamweight Championship |
| Win | David Velasquez | Decision (Unanimous) | GC 27: FightFest 2 | 6/03/2004 | 3 | 5:00 | Won Gladiator Challenge Bantamweight Championship |
| Win | George Adkins | TKO (Corner Stoppage) | GC 22: Gladiator Challenge 22 | 2/12/2004 | 2 | 2:42 | |
| Win | Jay Valencia | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | GC 20: Gladiator Challenge 20 | 11/13/2003 | 1 | 1:22 | |
Biography
Faber was born May 14, 1979, in the college town of Isla Vista, California, a small community bordering the University of California-Santa Barbara, and raised in Sacramento. Faber was born at home with the help of a midwife and raised holistically, his parents refusing to give him immunization shots. To this day Faber has scarcely used conventional medicine and has maintained a lifestyle of healthy dieting and exercise habits. Faber attended high school in Lincoln, a town of about 40,000 people.
Athletics have been a part of Faber's life since an early age, where he spent much of his childhood and teen years participating in football, roller hockey, and wrestling. After a successful high school career as a wrestler in Lincoln, California, Faber continued his wrestling along with his academics at the University of California-Davis.
Although he did not enter college on a scholarship, he was awarded one after his freshman year on the wrestling team. His sophomore year, he was the starting 133-lbs wrestler for UC-Davis, a spot that remained his for the rest of his collegiate career. While wrestling in college, Faber became the all-time win leader for UC-Davis and a two-time NCAA Division I qualifier, finishing in the top 12 in 2002. In freestyle wrestling, Faber competed in the University Nationals where he was a national runner-up, becoming the true alternate for the University Nationals World Team. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development, Faber stayed on staff at UC Davis as the lightweight wrestling coach and began his MMA career.
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Gladiator Challenge and KOTC
Faber made his professional MMA debut as part of the Gladiator Challenge promotion on November 12, 2003, defeating Jay Valencia by guillotine choke at 1:22 of round 1. Faber then defeated George Adkins by TKO (strikes) on February 12, 2004, earning a shot at GC Bantamweight champion David Velasquez. On June 6, 2004, Faber defeated Velasquez by unanimous decision, becoming the new GC Bantamweight champion. In his first title defense, Faber defeated Del Hawkins by TKO (strikes) at 3:19 of the first round on August 19, 2004. After this fight, Faber began to take fights in both GC and King of the Cage, GC's parent promotion.
Upon moving to KOTC, Faber defeated Rami Boukai by majority decision on September 24, 2004, barely a month after his last fight. On November 14, 2004, Faber defeated Eben Kaneshiro by submission (strikes) to win the KOTC Bantamweight championship, co-holding it with the GC Bantamweight title.
On March 13, 2005, Faber made his return to GC, defeating David Granados by rear naked choke at 2:13 of round 1. On May 7, 2005, he defended his KOTC belt for the first time, defeating Hiroyuki Abe by TKO (cut) at 2:37 of the third round. Returning to GC on September 10, 2005, Faber had his first defeat, losing the GC Bantamweight championship to Tyson Griffin by TKO (strikes) at :05 seconds of round 3.
On October 29, 2005, Faber defended his KOTC title again, defeating Shawn Bias by guillotine choke at 1:24 of the first round. He returned to GC on December 11, 2005, defeating Charles Bennett by rear naked choke at 4:38 of round 1. Faber then fought at a TKO Major League MMA event on January 8, 2006, facing Ivan Menjivar. Faber won by disqualification at 2:02 of the second round when Menjivar landed an illegal kick to a downed Faber.
WEC Career
On March 17, 2006, Faber competed for the first time in the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) promotion, defeating Cole Escovedo by TKO (corner stoppage) after the end of the second round to win the WEC featherweight championship.
On May 13, 2006, Faber defended his KOTC Bantamweight title for the third time, defeating Charlie Valencia by rear naked choke at 3:09 of the first round. Faber then returned to GC July 1, 2006 and defeated Naoya Uematsu by TKO(strikes) at 3:35 of round 2 to reclaim the GC Bantamweight championship, thus holding three titles at once. Faber then took a fight in the Full Contact Promotions organization on September 9, 2006, defeating Enoch Wilson by TKO (strikes) at 1:01 of the second round. On October 28, Faber returned to KOTC and defended his title for the fourth and last time, defeating Bibiano Fernandes by TKO (cut) at 4:16 of round 1. Faber later vacated his KOTC and GC titles upon signing a contract with the WEC after it was purchased by Zuffa in December 2006.
At WEC 25: McCullough vs. Cope on January 20, 2007, Faber defended his WEC Featherweight title for the first time since winning it ten months prior, defeating Joe Pearson by submission(strikes) at 2:31 of the first round. At WEC 26: Condit vs. Alessio on March 24, 2007, he successfully defended his title for a second time by defeating Dominic Cruz by guillotine choke at 1:38 of round 1.
At WEC 28: WrekCage on June 3, 2007, Faber defeated Chance Farrar by rear naked choke at 3:19 of the first round. In his postfight interview, Faber called out K-1 Hero's 2005 middleweight (154 lb) tournament champion Norifumi Yamamoto, though this fight has yet to take place. After this match, Faber took a six month break between fights, the longest of his career. He came back at WEC 31: Faber vs. Curran on December 12, 2007, defeating Jeff Curran by guillotine choke at 4:34 of the second round. Also on this card was the WEC debut of Jens Pulver, who was moving back down to featherweight from the 155lb lightweight division. In Jens WEC debut, he submitted Cub Swanson in the first round of their match setting up a title match between Jens and Faber. Pulver and Faber both commented in their postfight interviews that they wanted to fight each other, and the match was signed for June 1, 2008 at WEC 34: Faber vs. Pulver. Faber and Pulver fought a constant back-and-forth battle, but neither man was able to finish the other and the fight went the full five rounds, the first time in Faber's WEC career that one of his fights had gone the distance. The judges scored the bout a unanimous decision for Faber, 50-45, 50-44 and 50-44. This fight also marked both the first time that one of Pulver's fights at featherweight had gone to decision, and the first time Pulver had been defeated at that weight class.
Faber was next scheduled to fight Mike Brown at WEC 36 on September 10, 2008 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. However, this fight was postponed due to the threat of Hurricane Ike and was rescheduled for November 5, 2008 at the same location. Faber was defeated due to strikes at 2:23 of the first round after being caught with a strong right from Brown, which landed after Faber failed to connect with a standing backwards elbow. On January 25, 2009 at WEC 38 Faber fought Jens Pulver in a rematch, with Faber winning by guillotine choke at 1:34 of the first round. Post-fight, Faber addressed WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown, who was seated at ringside and announced he wanted a shot at regaining his title. When Brown made his first successful title defense at WEC 39 in Corpus Christi, Texas, he responded to Faber's comments by saying that a rematch between the two of them was something "the fans want to see."
Urijah Faber was next scheduled for a much disscussed rematch with current Featherweight Champion Mike Brown, on June 7, 2009. The fight took place at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California and will be the main event at WEC 41: Brown vs. Faber 2. Faber ended up breaking his right hand in the first round, making it almost impossible to land a punch. Faber made up for his broken hand by throwing constant elbows. He would go on to still lose the fight via unanimous decision.
Returning to Sacramento, Faber fought Raphael Assuncao on January 10, 2010 at WEC 46: Varner vs. Henderson. Going into the bout, the WEC had announced that the bout would determine the next opponent for newly crowed Featherweight Champion, Jose Aldo, who took the belt from Mike Brown. The home-town hero gave the fans what they wanted, controlling the pace and action for much of the fight, until the third frame, where a right hand put Assuncao down, setting up a ground-and-pound attack that forced the Brazilian to scramble to his feet. When he did, Faber leapt on his back and secured the fight-ending Rear Naked Choke. Afterward, the WEC set the hype train in motion by bringing current Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo center-cage.
- "I respect Urijah, but no one takes my belt," Aldo said to the inevitable boos.
- "I've gotta bring my A-game," Faber said of a potential matchup with the champion. "He's a tough guy, but in my mind, that's my belt."
The bout took place at WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber. Aldo worked on Faber's lead leg in the first round, and by the second, a noticeable limp followed. In the third, the mounting damage and continued kicks knocked a wobbly Faber to the mat. With no legs and an inability to defend, the crowd favorite was soon picked apart by Aldo's crisp punches and precise kicks. In fact, so needing to protect his legs, Faber left his body and head open to additional blows from the champ. Despite his opponent's inability to walk in the fourth round, Aldo followed Faber to the mat after scoring another knockdown via leg kick. Aldo dived into guard and soon took his opponent's back, but Faber somehow escaped. After a similar knockdown, Aldo again followed his opponent to the canvas, passed guard into side control, and blasted Faber with punches while he was trapped in the crucifix position. Referee Josh Rosenthal gave the fighter every opportunity to escape the hold and intelligently defend himself, and Faber somehow survived the attack for more than a minute to make it to the final round. After his corner told him to keep the fight standing in the fifth, Aldo continued his vicious striking attack. Yet when Faber was knocked to the mat or failed in takedown attempts, Aldo wisely remained upright. The strategy earned him the round and an eventual unanimous-decision win via scores of 49-45, 49-45 and 50-45.
Move to Bantamweight
After failing to re-win the WEC Featherweight title, that he had held on to for so long, coming up short in two Decision losses to Mike Brown and Jose Aldo, Faber announced in June 2010 that he would be making the move down to Bantamweight (135 lbs.) His debut at Bantamweight would take place against Takeya Mizugaki, who after a failed Bantamweight title fight against Miguel Torres, has gone 2-1 in the promotion. The fight was scheduled for WEC 50: Cruz vs. Benavidez 2, but whne Mizugaki was forced off the event due to injury, the fight was simply pushed back to another, later event.
Ranks and Titles
- Former WEC Featherweight Champion
- Former Gladiator Challenge Bantamweight Champion
- Former King of the Cage Bantamweight Champion
