Urijah Faber Talks SUG 4, TJ Dillashaw: 'He's a Little Smaller These Days'
Urijah Faber Talks SUG 4, TJ Dillashaw: 'He's a Little Smaller These Days'
MMA legend Urijah Faber talks SUG 4 matchup vs. Paulo Miyao, says TJ Dillashaw is 'smaller these days.'
Urijah Faber can add another highlight to his storied resume, as the former WEC champion and perennial UFC title contender put on a Fight-of-the-Year-worthy display of grappling at Submission Underground 4 (SUG 4) Sunday in Portland.
Taking on world-champion Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Paulo Miyao, Faber showed off his signature scrambling ability and slipperiness, making it through all three overtime periods before eventually losing via escape time.
Speaking with FloCombat after the event, Faber discussed the matchup and a few other pertinent topics surrounding his teammates, holding nothing back.
"It was a good time," Faber said. "I would have liked to have a little more jiu-jitsu rolls but this is a game of points, so the intelligent thing to do is kind of play the game this time around. I'd like to maybe go in the gym with him [Miyao] at some point and actually exchange some good rolls. I've got a high-level jiu-jitsu background."
Faber then dished on the upcoming matchup between UFC bantamweight champ and teammate Cody Garbrandt and former teammate and champ TJ Dillashaw. While the MMA rumor mill speculated Garbrandt would be forced out of their UFC 213 matchup July 8, Faber offered his take.
"He's [Garbrandt's] got some small injuries, some pretty nagging injuries that he's gotta take care of before he can put his all into a camp," Faber said. "He's out in Germany right now. The UFC's got him out there with some very top-level doctors...This is just a healing process for him, staying positive, staying active."
Dillashaw himself fueled this fire a bit, saying he'd like to fight flyweight champion and pound-for-pound king Demetrious Johnson if Garbrandt can't go. But Dillashaw didn't want a super fight—he wants to fight "Mighty Mouse" at 125 for the strap. Faber thinks Dillashaw can make that weight—and he believes he knows why.
"He [Dillashaw] used to be able to make '25," Faber said. "When he first came to our gym, he was having trouble staying about 143, 145. Then he got real big after that. But, you know, I think he'd probably make the weight now. He's a little smaller these days. Just speaking the truth."
Taking on world-champion Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Paulo Miyao, Faber showed off his signature scrambling ability and slipperiness, making it through all three overtime periods before eventually losing via escape time.
Speaking with FloCombat after the event, Faber discussed the matchup and a few other pertinent topics surrounding his teammates, holding nothing back.
"It was a good time," Faber said. "I would have liked to have a little more jiu-jitsu rolls but this is a game of points, so the intelligent thing to do is kind of play the game this time around. I'd like to maybe go in the gym with him [Miyao] at some point and actually exchange some good rolls. I've got a high-level jiu-jitsu background."
Faber then dished on the upcoming matchup between UFC bantamweight champ and teammate Cody Garbrandt and former teammate and champ TJ Dillashaw. While the MMA rumor mill speculated Garbrandt would be forced out of their UFC 213 matchup July 8, Faber offered his take.
"He's [Garbrandt's] got some small injuries, some pretty nagging injuries that he's gotta take care of before he can put his all into a camp," Faber said. "He's out in Germany right now. The UFC's got him out there with some very top-level doctors...This is just a healing process for him, staying positive, staying active."
Dillashaw himself fueled this fire a bit, saying he'd like to fight flyweight champion and pound-for-pound king Demetrious Johnson if Garbrandt can't go. But Dillashaw didn't want a super fight—he wants to fight "Mighty Mouse" at 125 for the strap. Faber thinks Dillashaw can make that weight—and he believes he knows why.
"He [Dillashaw] used to be able to make '25," Faber said. "When he first came to our gym, he was having trouble staying about 143, 145. Then he got real big after that. But, you know, I think he'd probably make the weight now. He's a little smaller these days. Just speaking the truth."