On Saturday at UFC on ESPN+ 13, UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber returned from a multi-year retirement to defeat surging bantamweight prospect Ricky Simon by knockout in just 46 seconds. The electrifying win paired with a post-fight callout of dual UFC champ Henry Cejudo has got “The California Kid” in the conversation for a fifth title shot in the octagon.
With other proven, legitimate contenders for Cejudo (14-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) in both the bantamweight and flyweight divisions, though, there’s a debate to be had about whether Faber (35-10 MMA, 11-6 UFC) should get another shot at UFC gold. Should it happen? MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Steven Marrocco and Nolan King sound off in this edition of “Triple Take.”
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Mike Bohn: The timing and moment are right for a title shot
It would be completely unfair to the likes of Aljamain Sterling and Joseph Benavidez, but if the UFC wants to try to make the most out of this Faber comeback, there likely won’t be a better opportunity to insert him in a championship fight.
Forty-six seconds was all it took Faber to stop Simon in his first fight since December 2016, and it was the type of win the promotion can push on highlight reels and use as a selling point if he were to challenge for gold.
The reality is, Faber still has a solid amount of star power behind him, even at 40. More than any of the other potential challenges for Cejudo. There’s also the fact Faber and Cejudo have a genuine history dating back a decade, which would serve as another selling point for the matchup.
Faber was paid $340,000 to step in the octagon against Simon, and given the UFC’s history of business practices, it seems unlikely it will want to pay Faber that sum of money again without more return. The matchup with Simon was a good way to ease him back in, but now it’s time to get the most out of the investment.
Faber could become the first fighter in UFC history to compete for a belt after being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, and while it would certainly ruffle a lot of feathers with the contenders at 135 and 125 pounds, the UFC is in the business of putting together the most high-profile matchups possible. Even in 2020, Faber vs. Cejudo (who is still recovering from shoulder surgery) would appeal to the masses.
Plus, who doesn’t want to see how cringey this trash talking can get?
Steven Marrocco: A Faber title shot would create a mess
You can’t really blame Cejudo or Faber for trying to seize on the current moment. Cejudo now occupies some very rare air, and he wants to cash big checks against one of the most reliable stars of the lighter weight classes. Faber wants another crack at the belt that’s eluded him, and more importantly, cash the big checks that come with being champ.
The veterans know the UFC routinely tosses resumes out the window for nostalgia or the flavor of the moment. Even in the age of guaranteed ESPN revenue, they know the promotion still needs stars. But this is one situation where the adults at the table need to say, “No.” Or at least, “Not yet.”
I’m as nostalgic as the next guy when it comes to MMA OGs. Faber has been around forever, and we have a lot to thank him for when it comes to the viability of lighter weight classes. I just don’t think that warrants an immediate title shot.
After all, how many times have we run that play? There literally is no one below 155 pounds who’s been given as many chances at winning UFC gold. If Faber wants another crack at the belt he’s failed to win on four occasions, let him earn it with a few more wins.
Giving Faber the immediate title shot stretches the promotion’s already loose standards on the issue of sport vs. entertainment. But even more than that, it threatens legitimate business interests by potentially jamming up two divisions of viable contenders. We’re back where we could see another Georges St-Pierre situation, or the creation of more interim titles that devalue the real ones.
Sterling and Petr Yan arguably have the best cases for a shot at the bantamweight belt. Benavidez looks more poised than ever to get over the hump at 125 pounds. Cejudo’s job as champ-champ is already fraught with enough pitfalls. Let’s not make it any more difficult.
Nolan King: More evidence needed from Faber before a title shot
No one is denying it: Faber is a one-of-a-kind individual in the sport of MMA.
His talent, mixed with his personality and vibe – paired with pioneering the lighter weight classes – rightfully earned him his place in the UFC Hall of Fame. If anyone questions Faber’s credentials, they’re wrong to do so.
That said, unless your name is Conor McGregor or ‘GSP,’ past accolades should not earn you a title shot (in theory) when there are so many other options. The UFC has always claimed to put on the best fights possible, and right now, Cejudo vs. Faber is not at the top of that list.
Let’s be honest here: Popularity does oftentimes determine many matchups. It’s naive to think otherwise. Recent outings from McGregor and St-Pierre likely happened almost exclusively on that basis.
As popular as Faber is, I’m not sure he can be put in that same category.
Does anyone remember the matchup between Michael Bisping and St-Pierre at UFC 217? Leading up to the fight, Bisping waited to fight “GSP” in order to get the “money fight.” As a result, the thriving UFC middleweight division’s top contenders all eliminated each other in a round-robin manner. Multiple contenders were removed from the title picture as a result, and fans missed out on a handful of great matchups.
Just because the UFC’s bantamweight division is stacked at the moment, shouldn’t be an excuse to take liberties and risks. You never know what the future holds in a given division. And with so many top contenders in the wings, the time to step out of bounds by having Cejudo fight Faber isn’t now.
Two willing combatants, Sterling and Yan, should square off to determine the No. 1 contender at 135 pounds. That’s a no-brainer. With Cejudo hurt, a Faber matchup will likely push off any other contenders from getting a crack at the belt for probably eight months to a year. With Cejudo also holding the flyweight strap, it could likely be even longer.
As impressive as Faber’s return from retirement was, he should have at least one to two more bouts before stepping in the cage with a UFC champion once again. Faber was stunned by a strike in the opening seconds of the fight against Simon, a top-15 guy. What will a top-10 bantamweight do? How about a top-5 fighter?
We should have a larger sample size of what “2019 Faber” is before making an impulse decision. Stars throughout the history of MMA should be respected, but not at the expense of the stars of today.
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