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Urijah Faber does not know what is in store for him in the near future, but he is staying ready for whatever comes next.
In a quick chat with MMA Junkie at UFC Raleigh on Saturday, 'The California Kid' reflected on the kind of fights he is expecting to go in for, now that he has come back from retirement and is in good shape.
Urijah Faber: I just want fights that are going to matter
Faber returned to UFC from his two-year retirement with a 46-second knockout of Ricky Simon in July 2019, followed by a risky contest with Russian fighter Petr Yan. The fight turned out to be unfruitful for Faber, as he got knocked out flat with a head kick in the third round.
But being someone who is always in pursuit of an 'intriguing' fight, Faber wouldn't have had it any other way. He also had some good things to say about Yan.
"I just want fights that are going to matter. I think the fight against Petr Yan was one that was intriguing to me because, first and foremost, although the general public doesn’t know him, with the die-hard fans, they understand what a dangerous guy he is. And I know for a fact, he’s going to be in this game for a long time doing big things."
Talking about his next step, the former WEC Featherweight Champion said that he is someone who 'lives in the moment' and is staying ready for anything that comes up. But his hands are free at the moment.
"I'll stay fight ready at this point. There’s no reason not to, and just see what happens. I’ve got to talk with the guys and see if something sounds good. But if I feel the itch, I’m a guy that lives in the moment. And also, it’s a great payday every time you fight, too, on top of being a lot of fun. So it’s something to think about. But (I have) no plans immediately."
Faber was being offered fights by UFC even when he was in retirement, such is his appeal inside the Octagon. And even though he did not think about fighting till he came back for the Ricky Simon fight, Faber continued to stay in great shape throughout, simply because it is something he enjoys doing.
"I stay in great shape. In my retirement, I was really retired – meaning I wasn’t even thinking about fighting, etc., other than they were offering me fights here and there. And over that time, I stayed in great shape... For me, I’m in the gym. I live a mile and a half from the gym. It’s what I know. And (I’m) also doing a bunch of other stuff on top of having a couple of fights this (past) year, which has been so much fun. Even in the loss, it felt like Christmas getting in there and throwing down. It’s just something that I enjoy. So I’m not sure what’s next for me, necessarily."
