The Sports Informant

In just a few hours, the fight all MMA fans in Sacramento have been waiting for will commence. Two warriors, one the current champ Mike Brown, one the former champ Urijah Faber, will battle in the cage in what could be one of the best fights of the year. This should make for a fun night.

The fighters stared down one last time at the Weigh-ins Saturday. Sunday is fight night. (Courtesy photo)

The beauty of this fight is that both fighters are truly ready for what’s coming. We’ve seen championship fights in the past, including Brown vs. Faber I, where one opponent overtook the other by surprise, ending a highly-anticipated fight with a less-than-desirable result. That shouldn’t happen today.

Faber bulked up to match Brown’s overpowering size, as he was actually seven pounds over the 145-pound limit as of Friday’s press conference. He made weight easily at 143.5 pounds on Saturday. He’s also aware of Brown’s power, as he’s felt it himself and seen it in Brown’s title defense against Leonard Garcia. He’s trained possibly harder than ever in his career, and has a lot riding on the line tonight. He’s ready.

“It’s not about anyone watching at home or watching with a camera,” a focused Faber said in Friday’s press conference. “It’s about me and that guy over there with the red beard.”

Brown, the bigger fighter, came in at the same weight as Faber, at 143.5 pounds. (Courtesy photo)

Meanwhile, Brown knows how to do something only two fighters in history have done: beat Urijah Faber. Not only did he beat Faber, he demolished him. His confidence is as high as ever, and unlike most fighters, he thoroughly enjoys fighting in hostile territory. That makes him dangerous. He’s ready.

“I’m starting to become a little bit of a road warrior,” Brown said. “I love the fight game and I love the fans all the way. Whether they’re booing for you or cheering for you, I love it all. It’s an adrenaline rush.”

Great, so let’s get it on.

Mixed martial arts returns to Sacramento with a deep card of World Extreme Cagefighting matches tonight at Arco Arena. The televised portion of the card begins at 6 p.m. on the Versus channel for the entire nation to watch from home.

“I’m excited to fight again here in Sacramento,” Faber said. “Whether I’m holding the belt or going for the belt, I’m always looking to put on a great show and fight with heart and tenacity. I’ve got a great opponent, so I’m excited about that.”

Brown’s on a roll, steamrolling through his last three opponents, including Faber, with vicious knockouts in his last

two fights. His knockout of Faber last Novemebr came in the first round. He’s looking to do the same again in Sacramento.

“I think I showed a lot of people what I’m capable in the Leonard (Garcia) fight,” Brown said. “If I hit you with the right hand, I can drop anybody. All of my wins and losses and all of Urijah’s wins and losses are behind us. You’re only as good as your last fight, and the next one is the most important.”

Faber looked lean after cutting seven pounds in the final day to make weight. (Courtesy photo)

Indeed. Especially for Faber, who needs a win to regain the championship he held for years. As the face of the WEC organization, and in front of his hometown fans, Faber needs to win tonight to cement his status on top of the heavily-talented Featherweight class.

“There’s no secret of how I lost that fight (to Mike Brown),” Faber said. “What was the cause? Me throwing the elbow. But I do stuff like that. It’s part of my game and I don’t really plan it out. So I’d like to think that I’m gonna be a lot more cautious, but you don’t really know. We’ll see what happens.”