An Interview with World Champion Urijah Faber

Urijah Faber is a professional MMA fighter and current World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) World Featherweight Champion. Faber grew up outside Sacramento, Calif., in the small town of Lincoln, where he played football and wrestled through high school. Faber attended UC Davis, where he earned his Bachelor of Science and competed on the wrestling team, finishing as the all-time win leader for the Aggies.

After completing his collegiate eligibility, Faber pursued Mixed Martial Arts, currently one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. Using his wrestling background and some jui-jitsu training, he quickly ascended the ranks of MMA fighters in the 145-pound weight class, winning his first belt in 2004. Faber is 19-1 and recently defended his belt against Chance Farrar as the headliner of the WEC's first live nationally televised fight card.

Beyond fighting, Faber is a co-owner of Ultimate Fitness, a gym in downtown Sacramento where he teaches grappling and kick boxing classes. After a recent kick boxing class, I stole a couple minutes from his busy schedule to interview "The California Kid."

Q: Right now, the UFC is synonymous with Mixed Martial Arts. When will the WEC get its day?

Faber: I think its time is now. We had the first live show on television a couple weeks ago. UFC fighters are moving down in weight class to fight in the WEC.

Q: Do you think the multiple organizations (UFC, WEC, IFL, Pride, etc.) have a positive or negative impact?

Faber: The more owners, the better. WEC and UFC are under the same parent company, Zuffa Entertainment, but the more growth from different owners means more competition, better fighters and more money for the fighters.

Q: ESPN had an MMA vs. boxing debate last week. The boxing advocate said MMA fighters are generalists; they practice multiple disciplines, but master none. Besides being inaccurate, what do you think of this perception?