Faber Doubts Brown Rematch Will Launch WEC PPV
Lutfi Sariahmed Mar 4, 2009
Not long after Mike Thomas
Brown successfully defended his featherweight title from
Leonard
Garcia at WEC 39 last Sunday, the TV cameras turned to Urijah
Faber. Faber wore a confident smile, knowing he’d have the
opportunity to face the man who stole the title from him last
November.
Just where fans will have to go to watch the rematch is the question of the moment. Recent speculation points to a pay-per-view event, the very first for the promotion, which was bought by Zuffa LLC., who also own the UFC, in December 2006. Faber isn’t so sure.
“I don’t know if they would do a pay-per-view for this one,” Faber
told the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown” show on Monday. “Probably not. I think they’re going
to do some build-up. Maybe toward the end of the year they would do
a pay-per-view, but I don’t think this is going to be a
pay-per-view.”
Arguably the promotion’s brightest star alongside bantamweight champ Miguel Torres, Faber has flourished as an MMA spokesman on the Versus Network, which has broadcasted live WEC events since mid 2007. Faber seemed partial to his second go with Brown (21-4) there.
If pay-per-view not be the platform though, Faber (22-2) still expects a big push to be made for the headlining bout, which he anticipates could happen in June.
“I definitely think it needs to happen,” said Faber. “They need to put money behind it if they want this organization to grow, which they’re all talking like they do. They need to put money behind it. Zuffa needs to put money behind it. Versus needs to put money behind it. Everyone else needs to do their part. I’m going to do my part and make exciting fights. I’m going to do everything I can to promote the fight.”
Faber hardly knew what hit him when Brown countered an ill-timed back elbow from Faber and sent him flying to the canvas in their first brief encounter at WEC 36. On Sunday, Faber had a better angle sitting cageside to watch Brown, an American Top Team standout, move through his first title defense. “The California Kid” took a lot of mental notes.
“I’ve seen his wrestling and it’s pretty good for the sport, but my wrestling overall is a lot better,” said Faber. “He’s got strong jiu-jitsu but I’m more elusive and I think I could come out on top in that battle as well. I think I can beat him in the standup as well. Last time I got caught with a big punch after I was throwing a crazy elbow and that was the big difference. I saw [Sunday] that was no fluke. He’s got power and poise. He’s someone to be reckoned with.”
Still, Faber saw potential openings.
“The big thing I saw is Mike Brown likes to be stationary,” Faber said. “He’s a big strong powerful guy for the weight. When his feet are planted, I wouldn’t say he’s a counter-puncher; he’s about counter movement. He waits for someone to come toward him and he swings those big heavy punches and tries to catch guys. They’re slow.”
Faber had others to keep an eye on last Sunday as well. If Brown-Faber II fails to make the pay-per-view rounds, Jose Aldo (14-1) waits in the wings for either fighter. The Nova Uniao standout has blazed through four consecutive opponents in the WEC cage, including his last victim Chris Mickle, who Aldo iced in 99 seconds last Sunday.
“He’s really talented standing up and he seems pretty talented on the ground as well,” said Faber, “but I think they need to test him a little bit more. His last fight was almost like a joke. They put that guy in there at the last minute. I heard he cut a lot of weight. It didn’t look like he was the most well rounded guy on the planet. So not discrediting Jose, he’s making all these guys look bad because he’s extremely talented. I think when I get this title shot with Brown there will be a title shot for Aldo in the near future.”
Faber will first seize the opportunity that not all fighters get: the chance to avenge a particular stinging defeat.
“I imagine they’ll make [Brown-Faber II] a huge deal because it is a huge deal -- the best fighters in the world at 145 pounds and the most exciting fighters in the world,” said Faber. “So I can’t wait to do it and be a part of it and get my belt back and watch it and drink a beer when I’m done.”
Just where fans will have to go to watch the rematch is the question of the moment. Recent speculation points to a pay-per-view event, the very first for the promotion, which was bought by Zuffa LLC., who also own the UFC, in December 2006. Faber isn’t so sure.
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Arguably the promotion’s brightest star alongside bantamweight champ Miguel Torres, Faber has flourished as an MMA spokesman on the Versus Network, which has broadcasted live WEC events since mid 2007. Faber seemed partial to his second go with Brown (21-4) there.
“Versus is putting a lot of investment in this as well and they’re
having big fights. [The WEC] kind of owe it to them to have it on
there, so it is what it is,” said the 28-year-old Faber. “It’s a
fight that’s going to draw a lot of viewers and it’ll be for free
I’m thinking.”
If pay-per-view not be the platform though, Faber (22-2) still expects a big push to be made for the headlining bout, which he anticipates could happen in June.
“I definitely think it needs to happen,” said Faber. “They need to put money behind it if they want this organization to grow, which they’re all talking like they do. They need to put money behind it. Zuffa needs to put money behind it. Versus needs to put money behind it. Everyone else needs to do their part. I’m going to do my part and make exciting fights. I’m going to do everything I can to promote the fight.”
Faber hardly knew what hit him when Brown countered an ill-timed back elbow from Faber and sent him flying to the canvas in their first brief encounter at WEC 36. On Sunday, Faber had a better angle sitting cageside to watch Brown, an American Top Team standout, move through his first title defense. “The California Kid” took a lot of mental notes.
“I’ve seen his wrestling and it’s pretty good for the sport, but my wrestling overall is a lot better,” said Faber. “He’s got strong jiu-jitsu but I’m more elusive and I think I could come out on top in that battle as well. I think I can beat him in the standup as well. Last time I got caught with a big punch after I was throwing a crazy elbow and that was the big difference. I saw [Sunday] that was no fluke. He’s got power and poise. He’s someone to be reckoned with.”
Still, Faber saw potential openings.
“The big thing I saw is Mike Brown likes to be stationary,” Faber said. “He’s a big strong powerful guy for the weight. When his feet are planted, I wouldn’t say he’s a counter-puncher; he’s about counter movement. He waits for someone to come toward him and he swings those big heavy punches and tries to catch guys. They’re slow.”
Faber had others to keep an eye on last Sunday as well. If Brown-Faber II fails to make the pay-per-view rounds, Jose Aldo (14-1) waits in the wings for either fighter. The Nova Uniao standout has blazed through four consecutive opponents in the WEC cage, including his last victim Chris Mickle, who Aldo iced in 99 seconds last Sunday.
“He’s really talented standing up and he seems pretty talented on the ground as well,” said Faber, “but I think they need to test him a little bit more. His last fight was almost like a joke. They put that guy in there at the last minute. I heard he cut a lot of weight. It didn’t look like he was the most well rounded guy on the planet. So not discrediting Jose, he’s making all these guys look bad because he’s extremely talented. I think when I get this title shot with Brown there will be a title shot for Aldo in the near future.”
Faber will first seize the opportunity that not all fighters get: the chance to avenge a particular stinging defeat.
“I imagine they’ll make [Brown-Faber II] a huge deal because it is a huge deal -- the best fighters in the world at 145 pounds and the most exciting fighters in the world,” said Faber. “So I can’t wait to do it and be a part of it and get my belt back and watch it and drink a beer when I’m done.”
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