WEC 52: Faber debuts @ Bantamweight vs Mizugaki

WEC boss says Faber healed, likely meets Mizugaki at WEC 52 (Updated)
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Aug 20, 2010 at 11:25 am ET

When his doctor told Urijah Faber he was medically cleared to fight, the former World Extreme Cagefighting champion instantly hopped to his feet, cheered, and began shadowboxing right there in the examination room.

WEC General Manager Reed Harris, who accompanied Faber (23-4 MMA, 8-3 WEC) to the checkup, knew right then that a November WEC 52 fight with Takeya Mizugaki (13-4-2 MMA, 2-2 WEC) was good to go.

"He just wants to get back in there so bad," Harris recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).

Faber, arguably the WEC's biggest draw, initially was slated to fight Mizugaki at this week's WEC 50 event in Las Vegas. The bout was going to mark the former featherweight's debut at bantamweight, and it was slated as the night's co-headliner. But a knee injury eventually forced Faber off the card.

And though Faber technically would be able to fight as early as next month's WEC 51 event, Harris said the upcoming Colorado card was already full and prompted the tentative November booking.

"He was good for September probably," Harris said. "But we had our card set already in Denver, so he's going to fight in November. And I think he's going to fight Takeya Mizugaki."

Mizugaki could have taken another fight while Faber healed, but Harris said the Japanese fighter had his heart set on the matchup.

"Mizugaki's been funny," Harris said. "He's like, 'I'll wait for the guy. I'll wait for him. I don't care.' He wants that fight."

Harris said the organization hasn't chosen a location or venue for the November event, but as with other Faber fights, his hometown of Sacramento, Calif., appears a leading candidate. The WEC, after all, has done big business during its recent shows at ARCO Arena, including April's WEC 48 show and pay-per-view debut that drew an attendance of 12,555 and a live gate of nearly $1 million.

Faber, who reigned as the WEC's 145-pound champ and emerged as the organization's biggest star during a 13-fight win streak from 2005 to 2008, since has gone 2-3 in his past five fights. He lost his belt to Mike Brown at WEC 36, dropped a rematch at WEC 41, and after getting another shot at the belt, suffered a decision loss to now-champ Jose Aldo at WEC 48 in April. Mixed in with the losses were submissions wins over Jens Pulver and Raphael Assuncao.

Mizugaki, who lost a decision to then-champ Miguel Torres when he made his WEC debut in 2009, is 2-1 since the defeat. He's sandwiched decision victories over Jeff Curran and most recently Rani Yahya around a decision defeat to Scott Jorgensen.

For the latest on the WEC's November event, expected to be WEC 52, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com