Urijah Faber walks out of the backstage area and the voice of Mike Goldberg could barely be heard. In his hometown of Sacramento, Faber dominated Brad Pickett in his final fight.
The fight went to decision after 3 five-minute rounds, but the winner was clear from the opening minutes of the fight.
Faber relentlessly took down Pickett, who’s only offense was a series of leg kicks.
“I feel like I just got my Ph.D. in real life, like I just graduated,” he said. “I’m ready to do some big things.”
The first time I watched Urijah Faber win was during the Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale. Being that I wrestled since elementary school, Faber’s technique stuck out to me. Often with the less technical fighters, they start to take someone down, then back out after their opponent loads up on defense. Not Urijah Faber.
Think I am being too biased? Faber has enough stats to prove he is a Hall of Fame Mixed Martial Artist.
In defeating Pickett, Faber becomes 34-10 in his professional career. He didn’t lose his first non-title fight until May of 2015, two days after his 36th birthday. He was ranked seventh in the bantamweight division in the UFC before his retirement Saturday night. Prior to UFC, he defended the World Extreme Cagfighting featherweight championship five times. 17 of his wins come from submission, seven of those wins are by his favorite submission the guillotine.
Faber joined UFC in 2010, when they bought over WEC, acquiring all their fighter’s contracts. Faber was 32 years old when he first fought in the UFC. More recently he has become more of a coach, heading a team on the Ultimate Fighter. His fighting team, Team Alpha Male, was founded in 2004 by Faber. The team has trained fighters such as Joseph Benavidez, Chad Mendes, Paige VanZant, and former UFC Featherweight Champion, T.J. Dillashaw.
After his win against Pickett, he is second all-time in wins in the bantamweight division.
“Thank you to Brad Pickett, what a warrior he is, and thank you to the whole UFC staff,” Faber said. “We’re on to the future and I’m going to do big things. I love the support, SAC-town I love you guys.”
Mike Goldberg reminded Urijah this would be his last time in the octagon.
“It’s such a surreal experience, I love doing this there’s nothing like it in the world, but I am ready to move forward.”
