brutus
09-10-2008, 04:53 AM
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Since making his move to World Extreme Cagefighting, featherweight champion Urijah Faber has become the face of the organization and one of the most popular fighters in all of mixed martial arts.
With that fame and notoriety comes opportunity and he is ready to capitalize on some very big fights in the near future.
One fight out of his weight class is against Tyson Griffin, who is the only fighter to currently have a win over the “California Kid.” It’s a loss that Faber wants back and says should have already happened.
“I’d like to fight Tyson (Griffin) again. For some reason he keeps saying that I don’t want to fight him. Which is really weird, I don’t know if he really believes that or he’s just trying to promote it,” said Faber during a recent appearance on MMAWeekly Radio. “I actually signed a crappy contract with King of the Cage a long time ago under the impression that we were going to have a rematch. It was right when Tyson signed with the UFC, so it never happened.
“I’d like to get that one back before it’s all said and done.”
Faber stated that he would have no problem moving back up to the lightweight class of 155 pounds to take that fight against Griffin and hopes for a few more big fights in that division, as well as the 135-pound weight class down the road.
“I’d like to do a couple fights at 155,” he commented. “I walk around about 154, but I wouldn’t necessarily put on weight, I’d just kind of go in as I am. I think before it’s all said and done, I will have fought some super fights at 55, probably some at 35, and make my home at 45.”
The current 145-pound king makes no bones about who he wants to face if the challenge were to ever be accepted and that’s very simply stated.
“Whoever has the belt really,” Faber stated as to whom he’d like to fight in the lightweight division. “As of right now, my buddy B.J. (Penn) just went up to 170, so I don’t know if he’s planning on going back to 155 or what, but I’d have to talk with him and see if that’s something he’d want to do also.”
Other names brought up for future consideration could also include current WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres. Faber feels that a co-promoted show with the WEC and the Ultimate Fighting Championship or just a WEC pay-per-view could go a long way to help build these fights.
Willing to go up or down a weight class to make the fights the fans want to see is definitively what Faber has said he’ll do and he wants to get the plan in motion.
“I’d like to do some big fights. That’s what needs to happen for my career,” he said. “Maybe go down in a year or two and see who’s at 35. There’s a lot of options out there for me, just looking forward to letting it all pan out.”
I would love to see a rematch with Griffin at 55. I'll put a month sig bet on faber. Cool to hear he wouldn't rule out a fight with Penn but i think Penn would dominate him. A torres/faber fight would be outstanding as well. We'll see what creative matches they come up with in the future. I wonder if they would consider a fight against 12 Balinese guys?
Since making his move to World Extreme Cagefighting, featherweight champion Urijah Faber has become the face of the organization and one of the most popular fighters in all of mixed martial arts.
With that fame and notoriety comes opportunity and he is ready to capitalize on some very big fights in the near future.
One fight out of his weight class is against Tyson Griffin, who is the only fighter to currently have a win over the “California Kid.” It’s a loss that Faber wants back and says should have already happened.
“I’d like to fight Tyson (Griffin) again. For some reason he keeps saying that I don’t want to fight him. Which is really weird, I don’t know if he really believes that or he’s just trying to promote it,” said Faber during a recent appearance on MMAWeekly Radio. “I actually signed a crappy contract with King of the Cage a long time ago under the impression that we were going to have a rematch. It was right when Tyson signed with the UFC, so it never happened.
“I’d like to get that one back before it’s all said and done.”
Faber stated that he would have no problem moving back up to the lightweight class of 155 pounds to take that fight against Griffin and hopes for a few more big fights in that division, as well as the 135-pound weight class down the road.
“I’d like to do a couple fights at 155,” he commented. “I walk around about 154, but I wouldn’t necessarily put on weight, I’d just kind of go in as I am. I think before it’s all said and done, I will have fought some super fights at 55, probably some at 35, and make my home at 45.”
The current 145-pound king makes no bones about who he wants to face if the challenge were to ever be accepted and that’s very simply stated.
“Whoever has the belt really,” Faber stated as to whom he’d like to fight in the lightweight division. “As of right now, my buddy B.J. (Penn) just went up to 170, so I don’t know if he’s planning on going back to 155 or what, but I’d have to talk with him and see if that’s something he’d want to do also.”
Other names brought up for future consideration could also include current WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres. Faber feels that a co-promoted show with the WEC and the Ultimate Fighting Championship or just a WEC pay-per-view could go a long way to help build these fights.
Willing to go up or down a weight class to make the fights the fans want to see is definitively what Faber has said he’ll do and he wants to get the plan in motion.
“I’d like to do some big fights. That’s what needs to happen for my career,” he said. “Maybe go down in a year or two and see who’s at 35. There’s a lot of options out there for me, just looking forward to letting it all pan out.”
I would love to see a rematch with Griffin at 55. I'll put a month sig bet on faber. Cool to hear he wouldn't rule out a fight with Penn but i think Penn would dominate him. A torres/faber fight would be outstanding as well. We'll see what creative matches they come up with in the future. I wonder if they would consider a fight against 12 Balinese guys?