Urijah Faber and his manager are refuting a Brazilian media report stating he turned down a fight against prospect Thomas Almeida.
According to Combate, “The California Kid” turned down a fight against the undefeated Almeida (17-0) after Faber’s original opponent, Raphael Assuncao, withdrew from their main event fight on March 21 because his fractured ankle had yet to heal.
However, according to both Faber and his manager Mike Roberts, that is not accurate.
“Urijah was very excited to compete in Brazil,” Roberts said. “Unfortunately his opponent was injured and the fight was canceled. We were given a few different options, sorted through them and chose something the fight fans will enjoy. Stay tuned.”
Asked specifically about the Almeida fight, Roberts said, “he never turned that down,” however, he wouldn’t specify who Faber will now fight next.
Later on Twitter, Faber wrote the report wasn’t true, as well.
“I chose the road less traveled, like my Dude Robert Frost. If the UFC really wanted that fight it would happen,” Faber tweeted.
As a result of the Assuncao injury, the new main event for the March 21 UFC Fight Night show in Rio de Janeiro is Demian Maia vs. Ryan LaFlare. Almeida is booked to fight Yves Jabouin on April 25 in Montreal.