Urijah Faber Returning To the Octogon…And In His Hometown

AT 40, “The California Kid” is gonna see if he can still be as good once as he ever was

By kncitom on May 31, 2019

He’s engaged, he’s got a beautiful young daughter, his fitness clubs are thriving. Hey, he starred on season 22 of the Ultimate Fighter TV show where he beat Conner MacGregor in a contest of hucking watermelons from a helicopter. 

Yeah, the past few years have been great for Urijah Faber.

But, to paraphrase a recent Instagram from him, it’s nothing so blissful it couldn’t be made a little bit better with a “good ole fashioned fistfight”.

Sacramento born, raised and proud, “The California Kid” hasn’t had a fight (unless it was with a leaky diaper) since he “ended” his career in 2016 with a win over Brad Pickett. Shortly after, he announced he’d be retiring and until now, he’s stuck to his word.

But, maybe testing to see if, as Toby Keith once put it, he’s as good once as he ever was, the 40 year old (!) UFC Hall of Famer is itching to get back into the ring, or, as he put it in a recent interview…he’s “froggy and ready to jump” (Faber always has been a quote machine; one of our all-time favorites came during an in-studio interview when we remarked about what a genuinely nice guy he is outside the ring. He reply? “You can be a nice guy and still beat people up.”)

Faber will take on Ricky Simon, an up-and-comer who has won all three of his octogon fights so far, July 13. Best of all–for him and his hometown fans–the fight will be taking place in Sacramento at the Golden 1 Center. Tickets are on sale now.

By the way..ever see this TV commercial for the old KZAP? That voice guy at the end is Pat. And that kid? The California Kid when he actually WAS a kid.

Good luck Urijah!!

 

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