Urijah Faber is one of the most popular fighters in mixed martial arts today.
With a deadly ability to sink in a guillotine choke or launch furious strikes, “The California Kid” is as formidable as they come. Not to mention he possesses a public bravado that has led to countless promotional ventures.
So, even at the ripe age of 34, Faber is still at the forefront of the sport. But with no UFC title to call his own, some people still believe the wily veteran needs true vindication.
Since his most recent championship loss to interim bantamweight titleholder Renan Barao back at UFC 149, Faber has arguably been the hottest fighter in the game.
Currently riding a four-fight win streak, one that was extended this past weekend after he submitted young phenom Michael McDonald in the second round, the former WEC king has made his case for another shot at promotional gold.
UFC president Dana White thinks so, too. As a matter of fact, he believes Faber is taking a page out of a resurgent Vitor Belfort’s playbook.
“Faber is in this Vitor zone right now,” White said at the UFC on Fox 9 post-fight press conference, originally reported by Adam Guillen Jr. of MMA Mania. “The older he gets, the better he gets. If you look at how good McDonald really is and people were so excited for this fight, he literally shut Michael down the entire fight and finished him. It was a great performance.”
No plans have been made yet as to who Faber will fight next. But it seems inevitable that he takes on the winner of Dominick Cruz vs. Barao, which will take place Super Bowl weekend at UFC 169 and will finally rid the bantamweight division of an interim champ.
In all honesty, who wouldn’t want to see Faber take on Cruz one last time?
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