I will be honest with you: I didn’t get to watch yesterday’s World Championship bout between these two great featherweight mixed martial artists, who both fight for WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting):
Urijah “The California Kid” Faber vs. Jose “The Phenom” Aldo
Let’s not forget that the bout took place in Faber’s hometown of Sacramento and I am guessing the overwhelming majority of the 15,000 screaming spectators was probably screaming for Faber.
But that did not deter the reigning world champ from Brazil, Jose Aldo, from dominating the match and inflicting serious pain to former title holder, Urijah Faber, who was in charge of this weight division for some time before losing to Mike Brown.
Jose Aldo has now 17 wins and only 1 loss to his record and Urijah Faber’s record 0f 23-4 is nothing to sneeze about either.
Anyway, I found a statement by Jose Aldo that I really think are true words by a true champion:
“My dream of winning the belt came true. I’ve worked my butt off to get here.
But now every time I have a match, I don’t look at it like I’m defending the belt, I’m going out there like this is a brand new fight and I’m going to win a brand new belt.
It’s like I have a brand new dream and that is to get another belt. So even though I am the champion, when I go to the gym I’m still very humble, always wanting to learn and wanting to get better.”
Last week some of you might have heard about or even watched the WEC title fight between Featherweight Champion Mike Brown and Jose Aldo.
And yes, the contender won: The new champion is now Jose Aldo.
But there is someone I have been trying to follow ever since he stormed into the limelight of WEC Featherweight division and that is The California Kid, Urijah Faber.
I have seen a couple of his fights leading to Urijah’s championship status. Never a dull moment in the cage.
He was a very successful college wrestler, always taking the cake. Even though that’s probably not part of his diet.
Urijah Faber is known as a very strong advocate of a really healthy diet and working out. And that formula has obviously worked very well for him.
He has never really had to go the full distance in a fight, except for maybe fighting another extremely talented fighter by the name of Jens Pulver of Pat “The Croatian Sensation” Miletich’s team some time ago. The win went to Urijah Faber.
In countless matches Urijah Faber, the very skilled grappler that he is, has been able to apply a rear naked choke and a guillotine choke so convincingly that he has won fights very early on. Many times in the first round.
But then comes along a fighter who rains on his party and who has become the man to beat for Urijah Faber.
And that fighter is Mike Brown who has been able to beat Urijah Faber twice now.
According to the latest rankings Urijah Faber is number 2 in the world and is scheduled to fight Rafael Assuncao on 1/10/2010 at WEC 46.
Assuming that Urijah Faber wins, I am thinking he will probably get a title shot at Jose Aldo.
So far his MMA record that started in November 2003 is pretty impressive with 22 wins and only 3 losses (2 by Mike Brown and 1 by Tyson Griffin).
So where is Mike Brown is this equation? Any thoughts?
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