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Urijah Faber a fighter? You better believe it

KATIE STRANG | caitlin.strang@newsday.com

November 2, 2008

It is 40 degrees and overcast in New York but "The California Kid" arrives at a midtown office building in sandals and sun-streaked, shaggy blond hair reminiscent more of a Hollister model than a MMA veteran.

Not exactly how you envision a fighter, but Urijah Faber believes that's part of the reason why World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) has anointed him as its poster boy.

"I don't really fit the typical idea of a fighter," said Faber, 29, a Sacramento product. "I'm not huge, I don't have tattoos, and I smile a lot, so I'm kind of outside the box as far as that goes."

His success - he holds the WEC featherweight championship and is 21-1 heading into his sixth title defense against Mike Brown in WEC 26 on Wednesday in Hollywood, Fla. - probably hasn't hurt his marketability, either.

"For whatever reason, I'm appealing to people. I just got lucky I guess," Faber said. "It helps that I work hard and I win. I realize that's a big part of the pie."

Although some of the biggest names, and most lucrative contracts are usually found in the UFC (the WEC's parent company), Faber sees World Extreme as a vital vehicle to bring the sport to the general population.

WEC focuses on the lighter weight classes, featuring fighters from bantamweight (135 pounds) to light heavyweight (205).

Some of the best athletes are smaller, Faber said, and while there may not be many opportunities for them in other professional sports like baseball, football, and basketball, professional fighting provides opportunities to showcase their talents.

"The look and style is much different," Faber said. "The WEC has a younger, hipper type of look."

Faber, who has won 13 matches in a row, lost his only professional fight in 2005. His opponent, Brown, is on a seven-bout winning streak. Their fight originally was scheduled for September but was postponed because of Hurricane Ike.

"I think it's gonna be a hard fight," Faber said. "The guy's strong, experienced and well-rounded, so I'm expecting for him to be a real challenging fight, but I think I should win if I put my best foot forward, and that's what I tend to do."