No matter how often he gets to the top, and no matter how often he fails in championship fights, you can never count Urijah Faber out.
That’s because he’s one of the best lighter-weight fighters in the world. Even now, after a long and fruitful career, Faber can still beat most of the best in the division. Pay no attention to those who say Faber doesn’t deserve acclaim or lofty status; he most certainly does. Who cares if he hasn’t beaten Dominick Cruz or Jose Aldo? He’s beaten everyone else.
Against Scott Jorgensen, Faber looked great at times. But he also looked somewhat listless, and after nearly submitting Jorgensen in the first round, Faber allowed Jorgensen to stay in the fight and to even have brief moments to shine. Faber settled into a counter-punching routine instead of attacking as he did in the first round, and the middle rounds played out mostly as a slugfest.
What did we learn?
We learned that it’s best for Faber opponents to keep him off your back, no matter the cost. Six of Faber’s last seven wins have come by submission, and he’s just absolutely excellent on the ground—especially when going for a rear-naked choke or guillotine.
We also learned that Faber is still competitive with the best in the division. He won’t get a title shot in his next fight, as he’ll likely need to win at least one more and wait around for Cruz and Renan Barao to settle their differences. But for now, Faber will continue to float around the top of the division, either as a legitimate title contender or as a measuring stick for new title challengers.
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