Imagining an MMA Hall of Fame: Best of the Rest

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Urijah Faber
“The California Kid” Gladiator Challenge (2003-04, 2005, 2005, 2005, 2006); King of the Cage (2004, 2005, 2005, 2006, 2006); TKO Major League MMA (2006); World Extreme Cagefighting (2006, 2007-10); Full Contact Promotions (2006); Ultimate Fighting Championship (2011-Current)
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Faber is the most important and popular sub-lightweight fighter in MMA history. Acquiring the charismatic “California Kid” was one of the pivotal factors behind Zuffa purchasing World Extreme Cagefighting, and he was the featured attraction for most of the remainder of the promotion’s days. His first fight with Jens Pulver shattered WEC records for live attendance and television viewers, while his clash with Jose Aldo proved the WEC could draw a solid pay-per-view audience. Faber was considered the top American featherweight for more than two years, defending the WEC’s 145-pound title successfully against a wide range of challengers before eventually downshifting to 135 pounds. His bouts with Dominick Cruz and Renan Barao have since set high-water marks for bantamweight pay-per-view audiences. Even during the period when he has struggled to win back a championship, he has tallied wins against many of the best fighters in his division, from Takeya Mizugaki and Raphael Assuncao to Brian Bowles and Michael McDonald.

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