Urijah Faber closes in on potential grudge match with win over Frankie Saenz
LAS VEGAS – Urijah Faber took one step closer to a potential grudge match with former protégé T.J. Dillashaw by defeating a game Frankie Saenz tonight at UFC 194.
Faber, 36, is one of the greatest sub-155 fighters in the history of mixed martial arts, and at UFC 194, he needed every bit of his experience to put away heavy underdog Saenz.
Seconds into round one, it became evident that Saenz, 35, was here for a fight. He confused Faber with a controlling clinch and short elbows. At one point, Saenz ripped “The California Kid” with a leg kick that left Faber crumpling to the mat, only to hop back up quickly thereafter.
Round two was the ‘money’ round as Faber seemed to have Saenz on the proverbial ropes when a high left kick wobbled Saenz and sent him reeling. Faber followed up with a barrage of slicing elbows and wild, looping hooks. Saenz, to his credit, weathered the violent storm by the former WEC champion and fought back with surprising aggression. By the end of the round, it was conceivable that Saenz had done enough to turn the momentum on his side; Faber was seemingly gassed and headed for a difficult third round.
However, Faber used his decade-plus experience in the sport to take control in the final frame. He used an effective, snappy jab to keep Saenz at bay, and he never let the underdog get back into the fight. He closed it out like the veteran he is.
“What a warrior man,” Faber said of Saenz post-fight. “We wrestled at the same time (Saenz was a collegiate wrestler at Arizona State, Faber at UC-Davis), so I knew it was going to be a war.”
A war it was. The 29-28, 29-28, 30-27 scores were not indicative of the output and excitement this fight had. Which is something Faber pointed out while setting up the narrative for his next fight.
“I’m so glad I got that win, it was a very tough fight. I think Rocky Balboa did it best. [I’m] coming after that belt. It’s a great story being made: the good guy wins.”
When asked if that meant a match-up against former friend Dillashaw, Faber kept it short and sweet, “T.J., or Dominick Cruz, either one.”
Faber has 13 fights in the UFC, with 7 of them serving as the co-main or main event. Three of those 13 have been for a title, and whether it’s against Cruz – a man he has faced twice before – or Dillashaw, it’s looking like Faber will get one final chance to capture that elusive UFC gold.
