Issue 063
June 2010
Explosive, energetic and exciting – former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber is a versatile and dynamic fighter known for his sometimes unorthodox and creative style of fighting. A wrestler at heart, Faber has developed a wily and unpredictable striking game to back up his superb grappling.
SLIPPING AND ANGLES
Faber employs a high-risk strategy to provoke his opponents into rushing him. He attacks with punches or his favorite back leg front kick, then slips back with his hands down to lure them in. The unusual angles from which Faber throws his elbow strikes can catch his opponents unaware when they rise to his provocations.
In the gym
Throw your combinations on the pads and slip back as your pad man counterattacks. Use foot and head movement to evade the attack and develop your reaction speed and awareness of distance.
In action
Faber starts off almost every fight with evasive in-and-out footwork.
LATERAL FOOTWORK
Featherweight fighters are known for their speed and Faber is one of the quickest of all. He develops this with a number of footwork drills.
In the gym
Faber uses a drill to train his kicking power, technique, endurance and efficient lateral footwork simultaneously. Using two bags side by side, slide across from bag to bag and deliver kicks. Go for time and try to use the minimum possible number of steps between strikes.
In action
The above drill means that Faber skips into his rear roundhouse kick and slams his opponent with his full shin. Check his rematch with Mike Brown or his five-round war with Jens Pulver for a display of Faber’s kicking power.
SCRAMBLING
Faber’s inventive grappling style gives him an edge over more conventional opponents as he is able to create new techniques and deal with unexpected positions in the moment.
In the gym
Start off in referee’s position and attempt different escapes and variations with the aim of reversing the position, never repeating the same movement twice. Try hip-heists, granby rolls, kimuras – anything you can think of. See how many different escapes you can create to deal with whatever positions you may end up in.
In action
Watch the rematch with Mike Brown for some truly inspiring scrambles involving two great wrestlers.
ELBOWS
Faber’s ability to clear the tie-ups from inside the guard and throw his body weight behind his elbow shots give him the most formidable ground ‘n pound in the featherweight division.
In the gym
Develop accuracy and power by using a grappling dummy. Come over the top of the arms and land elbows to the head – drive your body forward and get all your weight behind the elbow but don’t sacrifice your base and fall off.
In action
See his fight with Jeff Curran for a perfect example of how Faber drops his entire bodyweight behind the shot.
GUILLOTINE CHOKE
With a career total of ten submission wins (all by rear naked or guillotine choke) Faber’s wrestling strength has loaned itself well to applying choke finishes.
In the gym
Using a power sling (or alternatively a judo belt) attach a dumbbell, kettlebell or plate. Perform isometric holds for time and develop an unstoppable guillotine.
In action
Faber’s career is littered with wins by choke – he has five submission victories in the WEC alone.
