Urijah Faber

Urijah 'The California Kid' Faber is the retired former WEC featherweight champion, currently competing in the UFC bantamweight division where he is a four (4) time championship contender.

Aldo Fight and Drop to Bantamweight in WEC[]

He lost his most recent fight against current champion Jose Aldo by dominant decision and has dropped to bantamweight (135lbs.) He next made his bantamweight debut against Takeya Mizugaki, choking Mizugaki unconscious in the first round amidst fears that Mizugaki was dead.

After Dominick Cruz defeated Scott Jorgensen at the final WEC show to retire the WEC bantamweight belt and earn the first UFC bantamweight belt, he called out Urijah -- the only man to beat him -- for his first UFC title defense.

First UFC Bantamweight Title Run[]

Faber instead made his UFC debut against former bantamweight champion Eddie Wineland in a number-one contender's bout. Faber defeated Wineland via unanimous decision to earn the shot.

He next faced Cruz in a rematch for the UFC bantamweight belt. Cruz avenged his only loss against Faber via a close unanimous decision and defended his title for the first time in UFC history in the process. A rubber match was almost certain in the near futures of the two men.

Second UFC Bantamweight Title Run[]

Faber next faced former WEC bantamweight champion Brian Bowles for the next shot at Cruz's bantamweight title. Faber dropped Bowles with a massive uppercut in the second round and finished Bowles with a mounted guillotine choke submission. With the victory, Faber earned his rubber match against Cruz for the UFC bantamweight title.

He was next set to fight Cruz in a rubber match for the belt after coaching against him on the fifteenth season of The Ultimate Fighter. Cruz was injured months prior to the scheduled bout, however, and was forced to pull out of the fight and possibly out of the show halfway through.

Renan Barao replaced Cruz to fight Faber for the UFC interim bantamweight title. Barao defeated Faber via a five-round unanimous decision.

Third UFC Bantamweight Title Run..[]

After a layoff, Faber signed in December 2012 for a rematch against veteran Ivan Menjivar in February 2013. He defeated Menjivar via an impressive first round rear-naked choke submission.

Just five days later Faber accepted a fight in the main event of the TUF 17 finale in April 2013 against former training partner Scott Jorgensen. Faber defeated Jorgensen via fourth-round rear-naked choke submission after a back-and-forth fight. Afterwards he called out champion Dominick Cruz for a rubber match.

Instead Faber next signed to face Yuri Alcantara winning via a surprisingly competitive decision.

Faber next signed to fight prospect Michael McDonald, defeating McDonald via a second round guillotine choke submission to earn a shot at the winner of the UFC bantamweight title unification match between Dominick Cruz and Renan Barao.

When Cruz was injured again and stripped of his title, Barao was given the undisputed title. Faber stepped in on three weeks' notice to replace Cruz against Barao in a rematch. Barao scored a controversial first round technical knockout over Faber to solidify his status as the undisputed UFC bantamweight champion.

Fourth UFC Bantamweight Title Run?[]

Faber took some time off before next signing for a large step down to fight prospect Alex Caceres after a hilarious exchange on Twitter. Faber submitted Caceres with a third round rear-naked choke submission after a surprisingly competitive fight.

Faber next quickly signed to fight newcomer and veteran Masenori Kanehara in Japan. He was injured and replaced by Caceres.

After recovering Faber signed to fight Francisco Rivera. Rivera was outstriking and outfighting Faber until an inadvertent eyepoke hurt Rivera badly enough for Faber to secure a controversial second round bulldog choke submission victory.

Faber next signed to fight a rematch against Raphael Assuncao for a probable UFC bantamweight title shot. The fight never materialized.

Brief Return to Featherweight[]

Faber next returned briefly to featherweight for a superfight with former UFC lightweight champion Frank Edgar in the UFC's first Phillipines show. Unfortunately Edgar won a convincing unanimous decision.

Return Yet Again To Bantamweight[]

Faber next returned yet again to bantamweight, signing this time to fight relative unknown Frankie Saenz. During the buildup to the Saenz fight, Faber's protege -- and current UFC bantamweight champ -- TJ Dillashaw abandoned Team Alpha Male creating a possible opportunity for a fight between Faber and Dillashaw at some point.

Faber defeated Saenz via a very close unanimous decision and soon afterwards Dominick Cruz returned to action defeating Dillashaw to reclaim the title he had never lost.

Faber seized the opportunity to call out Cruz for a third fight for that title, a rubber match. Cruz grudgingly took the challenge dominating Faber en route to a unanimous decision. A downcast Faber contemplated retirement after the loss.

Title Hopes Dashed but Fighting On[]

Faber chose to continue fighting, signing to fight prospect Jimmie Rivera. Rivera defeated Faber via a dominant unanimous decision which was - to be quite honest - sad to watch. Many fans and analysts thought Faber might retire after the second straight loss and hoped he would do so, as he had nothing left to prove. Unfortunately Faber was not done yet.

Faber signed to fight the fellow retirement contemplative Brad Pickett. Prior to the fight Faber announced that the fight would officially be his last mixed martial arts fight. Faber showed up in prime form for the fight dominating Pickett en route to a unanimous decision victory.

Fights[]

Urijah Faber vs. Jay Valencia - The fight was Faber's mixed martial arts debut.
Tyson Griffin vs. Urijah Faber - The fight was for the Gladiator Challenge lightweight championship title. The fight was Faber's first loss in the battle of undefeated lightweights.
Urijah Faber vs. Charles Bennett
Urijah Faber vs. Charlie Valencia - The fight was Charlie Valencia's first loss.
Urijah Faber vs. Enoch Wilson
Urijah Faber vs. Bibiano Fernandes - The fight was the first loss for Bibiano Fernandes. The fight was defending bantamweight champion Faber's last defense for King of the Cage.
Urijah Faber vs. Dominick Cruz 1 - The fight was for the WEC featherweight title with Faber defending. The fight was Dominick Cruz's first -- and thus far his only -- loss.
Urijah Faber vs. Chance Farrar - The fight was for the WEC featherweight title with Faber defending. The fight was Farrar's first loss.
Urijah Faber vs. Jeff Curran - The fight was for the WEC featherweight title with Urijah Faber defending it.
Urijah Faber vs. Jens Pulver 1 - The fight was for the WEC featherweight championship with Faber defending. It was the first time either fighter went the distance in their featherweight careers or WEC careers.
Urijah Faber vs. Raphael Assuncao - Raphael Assuncao was on a six-fight win streak and it was only his second mixed martial arts loss and the first time that he was submitted.
Jose Aldo vs. Urijah Faber - The fight was for the WEC featherweight title with Jose Aldo defending. It was one of the most brutal displays of leg kicks in mixed martial arts up to that point. It was Faber's last fight at featherweight before dropping to bantamweight.
Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland - The fight was the UFC debut of both men. The winner would receive the opportunity of challenging for the UFC bantamweight title.
Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber 2 - The fight was for the UFC bantamweight title with Dominick Cruz defending. The fight was -- by an odd series of circumstances -- Cruz's UFC debut.
Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles - The fight was for the UFC bantamweight number one contendership.
Renan Barao vs. Urijah Faber - The fight was for the UFC interim bantamweight title. Renan Barao was replacing undisputed champion Dominick Cruz after an injury.
Urijah Faber vs. Ivan Menjivar 2
Urijah Faber vs. Francisco Rivera
Urijah Faber vs. Frankie Saenz
Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber 3 - The fight was for the UFC bantamweight championship with Dominick Cruz defending.