Urijah Faber 'serious' about considering comeback at 40
One of the best MMA fighters in history is considering coming out of retirement. Forty-year-old former featherweight world champion, and Team Alpha Male head Urijah Faber has not fought since a Dec. 2016 win over Brad Pickett, but admitted this week to The MMA Hour that he just might be ready to step back into the ring.
“It’s serious,” he said.
“After being offered a couple of short-notice fights I’m like, ‘Man, that’s kind of tempting.’ The reason I retired in the first place is just because I wanted to. I felt like it ... ‘if I’m thinking about it, it may be the time.’”
That kind of trusting his gut is what may very well end up getting “The California Kid” back into MMA competition, especially since he says the UFC continues to try and goad him into fighting, and on short-notice.
“The same reason why I’m thinking about coming back out and taking a fight. It sounds like fun, a little [fear of missing out].”
Faber still trains at his gym with some of the best active fighters in the world. It’s an alarmingly common refrain from aging fighters who can’t kick the itch to compete, but that experience gives him confidence he could still do well in the UFC’s cage.
“I know at my age I do really well against the guys, still, and if I’m going to do it, you don’t want to wait longer. I just turned 40, which is crazy. I kind of teased that once I did turn 40 I’d like to challenge myself ... and do some fights. I got the new baby. Some names have been thrown out there for opponents and it’s real possible.”
It seems possible that dates have been “thrown out there as well,” and might have included July 13, when the UFC is scheduled to hold an event in Faber’s hometown of Sacramento.
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