'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber accomplished a great deal during his legendary career.
He played a pivotal role in the smaller weight divisions gaining popularity and was one of the faces of the WEC.
‘The California Kid’ has also played a big role outside the cage by forming Team Alpha Male.
Many top fighters have benefited from training under his tutelage. Fighters such as T.J. Dillashaw and Cody Garbrandt went on to become bantamweight champions. Others continue to ascend the rankings of major MMA promotions.
Faber has had his fair share of big fights during his MMA career.
But there were quite a few that could have been lucrative had they transpired. He competed at both featherweight and bantamweight throughout his career, so there were many possibilities. This list will look at five Urijah Faber fights that never happened in the UFC.
#5. Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson
Demetrious Johnson’s legacy in the UFC is impeccable. He was one of the most dominant champions in the promotion and still holds the record for most consecutive title defenses.
Prior to becoming the greatest flyweight of all-time, Johnson competed at bantamweight.
‘Mighty Mouse’ was successful at 135lbs and had an impressive 14-2 record. His losses came against Brad Pickett in the WEC and then bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz.
After moving to 125lbs, Johnson never returned to bantamweight. Despite many interesting matchups, he remained at 125lbs until his move to ONE.
A great time for a Faber vs. Johnson bout would have been 2016. At the time, ‘The California Kid’ was coming off a unanimous decision win over Frankie Saez. He was being linked with a trilogy bout with Dominick Cruz.
Meanwhile, ‘Mighty Mouse’ was so dominant that the promotion awarded a title shot to the winner of TUF season 24. It could have been an entertaining one-off bantamweight bout that could have also provided Faber with a great retirement bout.
#4. Former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor
Despite competing in different weight-classes, Urijah Faber vs. Conor McGregor could have become a reality in the UFC.
Both were opposing coaches on TUF season 22, however, it was under different circumstances.
McGregor was coming off his win over Team Alpha Male standout Chad Mendes, which saw him become the interim featherweight champion. The two coaches wouldn’t be fighting, so it was unlike previous seasons when the season was part of the buildup to the fight.
Instead of then featherweight champion Jose Aldo and ‘The Notorious' being opposing coaches, the promotion selected Faber. ‘The California Kid’ wasn’t fighting McGregor, but there were a few occasions when the fight could have been booked.
For instance, Faber replacing Rafael dos Anjos when he withdrew from his bout with ‘Mystic Mac’ would have been logical. Instead, Nate Diaz stepped in and fought McGregor twice at 170lbs. Considering ‘The California Kid’ was active and an opposing coach on TUF, he could have been a suitable replacement.
#3. Former UFC bantamweight Miguel Torres
Despite not having the same amount of success in the UFC, Miguel Torres was a very good fighter.
Looking back at the history of the WEC, Torres was equally as important to the smaller weight divisions as Faber.
Torres is a former WEC bantamweight champion and retained the championship on three occasions.
The promotion missed an opportunity when they introduced the featherweight and bantamweight divisions in 2011. ‘The California Kid’ returned to bantamweight at WEC 52 and then made his promotional debut against Eddie Wineland in March 2011.
Torres also had a much better MMA record than Wineland and was the more accomplished fighter.
He was 39-3, so debuting against Faber instead of Charlie Valencia could have helped sell the division to the fanbase.
The bout would have seen two of the WEC’s most successful champions compete against each other. It could have also served as a title eliminator, with the winner earning a title shot against Dominick Cruz.
#2. Former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw
Urijah Faber vs. T.J. Dillashaw for the UFC bantamweight championship remains a missed opportunity for the promotion.
The animosity between Dillashaw and his former teammates at Team Alpha Male reached boiling point when he left to join Duane Ludwig permanently.
When Dillashaw was champion, ‘The California Kid’ was still among the top fighters in the division. He decided not to challenge his own fighter. And so, he accepted bouts against Alex Caceres, Francisco Rivera, Frankie Edgar, and Frankie Saenz.
It could be argued that Faber could have been viewed as the favorite if he challenged Dillashaw for the title.
Dillashaw was 10-2 when he won it and ‘The California Kid’ would have known his strengths and weaknesses at that point.
While coaching TUF season 22 opposite Conor McGregor, there was a memorable exchange. ‘The Notorious’ questioned the bantamweight champion’s loyalty to Faber and Team Alpha Male.
#1. Former UFC two-division champion B.J. Penn
A bout between Urijah Faber and former two-division champion B.J. Penn could have been very lucrative for the UFC.
Both were staples in their respective weight divisions and popular fighters.
There was a great opportunity for the promotion to book a superfight in 2008 when they were both champions.
‘The California Kid’ won the WEC featherweight championship in 2007, shortly after Zuffa purchased the promotion.
Meanwhile, ‘The Prodigy’ won the lightweight championship in 2008 after defeating Joe Stevenson for the vacant title.
Faber vs. Penn could have been contested at a 150lb catchweight.
This would have ensured both remain champions of their respective divisions following the outcome. It would have also been a great way to introduce one of the WEC’s top fighters to a larger audience. Ultimately, Faber was competing at bantamweight following the merger and wouldn’t return to 145lbs until he fought Frankie Edgar in 2015.
