Fresh off retirement, Urijah Faber to be inducted into UFC Hall of Fame

Four months into retirement, Sacramento’s Urijah Faber is still making headlines in the mixed martial arts world.

Faber will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, it was announced Saturday at UFC 210. He said Monday during an appearance on The MMA Hour that he was at the UFC headquarters in Las Vegas when president Dana White told him the news. He said he was “surprised and honored.”

“No, it didn’t choke me up,” Faber told host Ariel Helwani. “Not that I’m not a sentimental guy; I’m definitely a sentimental guy. In the context I found out, I didn’t get to watch the countdown, or the little tribute they did – I didn’t realize they were doing that. I was in Vegas trying to scurry to get to a TV to watch Cynthia (Calvillo at UFC 210) and I barely missed it.”

Faber capped his career with a unanimous decision over Brad Pickett on Dec. 17 at Golden 1 Center. He became World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight champion in March 2006 and held the title until November 2008, snapping a 13-fight winning streak. Faber finished his career 34-10 overall.

White said the week before Faber’s finale that “The California Kid” has always had appeal.

“Good-looking kid. Great energy about him. And, obviously, a very talented fighter,” White said. “When we decided to merge (2010), it (WEC) was the 155 pounds and lower, and when we brought them in, Urijah Faber was by far the biggest star.”

Though retired from MMA, Faber will celebrate his 38th birthday on May 14 with a jiujitsu match at the Submission Underground event at the Roseland Theater in Portland, Ore. Submission Radio was first to report the match.

The UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be July 6 during International Fight Week.

 

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This story was originally published April 12, 2017 at 1:39 PM with the headline "Fresh off retirement, Urijah Faber to be inducted into UFC Hall of Fame."