UFC Hall of Fame bantamweight Urijah Faber isn’t done just yet. According to a report from MMA Junkie, Faber has agreed to end his retirement and will once again grace the UFC Octagon on July 13 to face off with Ricky Simon in his return bout. The fight will take place on the UFC Fight Night 155 card on ESPN+ in Faber’s hometown of Sacramento, California.
Can’t get enough UFC? Subscribe to my podcast — State of Combat with Brian Campbell — where I break down everything you need to know in the Octagon.
The 40-year-old Faber (34-10) appeared to enjoy a storybook ending to his career in December 2016 when he defeated Brian Pickett via unanimous decision in what was billed going in as his swan song fight. Following consecutive losses for the first time in his career, it seemed like the perfect way for the former multi-time UFC bantamweight title challenger to go out; however, while celebrating the birth of his first baby back in March, Faber teased a possible return to UFC at either bantamweight or lightweight.
Faber may not be the most enticing name to beef up the bantamweight division from a purely competitive standpoint, but he unquestionably brings some star power to the 135-pound ranks on the heels of ex-champion TJ Dillashaw being dealt a two-year suspension for PED usage and old rival Dominick Cruz going on the shelf to recover from injury.
Faber was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in July 2017.
More UFC news, rumors
- After recently undergoing hernia surgery while nursing an aggravated knee injury at the same time, a lot of mystery has surrounded when exactly we’ll see Kamaru Usman defend his UFC welterweight title for the first time since he ended the reign of Tyron Woodley back in March. In a recent interview with MMA Fighting that was conducted prior to UFC 237, Usman revealed he plans to make that first defense by the end of the year against heated rival and ex-interim champion Colby Covington.
- The UFC roster is a bit thinner to begin this week, as MMA Fighting reports that a slew of fighters have been released from the promotion. Among the most notable cuts are middleweight Elias Theodorou, who was 8-3 during his time with the company, and Wilson Reis, who once had earned the right to challenge Demetrious Johnson for the UFC flyweight championship in April 2017.
