Sherdog’s Top 10: WEC Fights

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10. Mike Thomas Brown vs. Urijah Faber
WEC 41 | June 7, 2009

More than any other fighter, Faber helped to establish the lighter weight classes as viable commodities, and it was his dominant run as WEC champion that made that possible. He defended his featherweight belt five times, taking out future bantamweight star Dominick Cruz, Jens Pulver and Jeff Curran, among others, to cement himself as a pound-for-pound star. With all of that hype and history behind him, it is easy to see why Faber was a near 7-to-1 favorite over Brown in their first meeting. Brown defied the odds and finished the reigning champion in less than three minutes at WEC 36, setting the stage for a huge rematch seven months later.

Despite the outcome of their initial fight, Faber was still the favorite in the rematch. Speed against power was the essential dynamic, as the former champion tried to get in and out with single shots; any time Brown got his hands on Faber, the difference in strength was immediately obvious. On the mat, however, the Californian’s skill in the transitions produced an incredible series of scrambles.

By the second round, it was clear that Faber had broken his right hand, and he dislocated his left thumb shortly thereafter. He fought on, though, dropping right elbows and right kicks with abandon and continuing to throw his damaged left hand as if nothing was wrong. It was an incredible display of toughness and durability, and while Brown clearly took four rounds, Faber’s heart and determination kept him in the fight longer than anyone had any reason to expect.

Number 9 » Torres vs. Mizugaki