Faber ‘Almost Positive’ Third Bout Against Cruz Will Happen

Urijah Faber (file photo) expects a rubber match with Dominick Cruz. | Photo: Jeff Sherwood

“I’m almost positive we’re going to have a rematch,” Faber said recently on Bruce Buffer’s “It’s Time” show on the Sherdog Radio Network. “I think it needs to happen to find out who’s the boss. I don’t feel like I was threatened at all. I feel like I could have done more. He probably feels like he could have done more. I think it needs to happen.”

Cruz outpointed Faber in the entertaining five-round bout to win a unanimous decision. Faber also holds a win over Cruz, though. He won their March 2007 encounter at WEC 26 via guillotine choke. A third encounter would make sense, but Faber isn’t sure when it could be scheduled.

“I don’t know if it will happen right away because there’s other guys that have earned shots like Demetrious Johnson and Brian Bowles and even a Joseph Benavidez, who’s been just killing guys,” Faber said. “So I’m not like demanding it, but I know it’s going to happen. I’m not going to get beat. I’m going to keep coming for that belt. It’s just a matter of time. Whether it’s right away or I have to win a couple or whatever the case, I’m ready to go again. I think Dana [White], Lorenzo [Fertitta] and everyone else wants that and I think it needs to happen.”

Faber wasn’t so sure he deserved to lose the rematch. He accepts the decision, but his feeling right after the fight was that he’d won.

“I think that’s because I didn’t really get hurt in the fight and I feel like I hurt him a couple of times, but you can’t really complain about a close fight,” Faber said. “It’s up to discretion. Although it feels like most people don’t really know what the judges are talking about -- I mean, it feels like these days the MMA judges are so off their rockers, you don’t really know what you’re trying to do out there. It’d be great if we had some consistency, but Dominick fought a good fight.”

Faber also believes he fought a good fight himself. If he gets another shot at Cruz, though, he might have to try a different approach that keeps winning a decision in mind.

“I tried going for the finish,” Faber said. “I don’t really think about decisions very much and I think I need to start being a little more cognizant of that. I definitely feel like I could have been more of a person that’s put on the appearance of winning the fight rather than trying to finish the fight. I think that was the difference.”

Listen to the full interview (beginning at 18:10).