The Sports Informant

Former World Extreme Cagefighting Featherweight champion Urijah Faber spent some time at a Walmart in West Sacramento last night, signing autographs for local fans for 90 minutes.

Urijah Faber signs an autograph in Sacramento. (Photo courtesy Greg Ashman)

There weren’t a thousand people lined out the door like there have been with NBA signings in the past, there were no tickets needed to be purchased to get in line for an autograph, and it wasn’t an in-and-out affair, where typically fans are allowed a quick autograph and asked to move along. For the first time in my professional career, I saw a professional athlete want to spend time with his fans, and make sure they were satisfied before he left.

Urijah Faber poses with a family of fans. The older boy told Faber he trains "49 days a week." (Photo courtesy Greg Ashman)

Faber wasn’t chauffeured into the event by an entourage. He drove himself and arrived alone, and along with MMA Authentics representative Sonny Shroyer, sat at the table eager to greet every single fan individually. It didn’t seem obligatory, though it was admittedly a promotion for the clothing line. And when the 7:15 p.m. cutoff time arrived, a starving Faber – who’d arrived straight from workouts at the gym without a meal – didn’t look to escape out the back door. He stayed until every single fan got to spend some quality time with him, and when all had left, looked around to make sure he didn’t miss anyone.

After it was over, he told me, the only media member on site to witness the small hysteria surrounding the area’s most successful professional athlete, “The signing went well. I was here for about an hour and a half. I got to see a lot of the fans. I got to sign some autographs and shake some hands, and I think people enjoyed it.”

More than he knew. Several fans I talked to after receiving his John Hancock were surprised at how approachable the one-time labeled “best pound-for-pound fighter in the world” was. Most expected a quick signature and a look away, prompting the next in line to come up to the table. What they got instead was individualized signings written out to specific recipients, a handshake, some conversation and a posed picture with the superstar. All for the price of “free 99.” Not bad.

Faber’s always been a hometown hero, just not enough people knew it. Raised in Lincoln, Calif. he went on to become a successful college wrestler at UC Davis, then a coach there after graduating.

Urijah Faber signs a picture Sports Informant photographer Greg Ashman took at last year's fight in Arco Arena. (Photo courtesy Greg Ashman)

When his MMA career took off, instead of jumping ship to Las Vegas, Southern California and other training hotspots, Faber instead opened a gym in Sacramento (Ultimate Fitness) and has stayed put ever since, opening a second Ultimate Fitness right outside of Folsom recently. Fighters, like up-and-coming and talented Joseph Benavidez, move to Sacramento now to train with Faber, not the other way around.

Along Faber’s path to success, he always stayed true to hometown fans. One of his childhood friends, KHTK’s Carmichael Dave, remains a good friend, and the two often share radio airtime entertaining local listeners with their verbal sparring. At Faber’s last fight in Arco Arena last year, Carmichael Dave actually held up Faber’s belt as the two walked into the arena together and to the cage.

Despite his 145-pound frame, Faber had plenty of opportunities to get too big for his britches. He never did. His April 29 showing at Walmart showed he still hasn’t. He’s got a 22-2 record, held the championship belt for years, is the poster boy for the WEC organization and one of the most recognizable faces and names in the sport of MMA. And yet, he’s all about Sacramento.

After watching Faber cageside in a sold out Arco last year, and after watching an excited crowd gather to meet the former champ in person last night, it’s obvious to me that the people’s champ is doing all the right things. In a society with professional athletes making headlines for club shootings, drugs and DUIs, it’s nice to see Sacramento’s biggest star can soar high in the sky and still keep his feet – and his ego – on the ground.

This story is part of a series of stories I will be writing on Faber leading up to his fight on June 7 at Arco Arena. There Faber will rematch Mike Brown to try to avenge his only loss since 2005, and in turn, bring the championship back to Sacramento.