Former Champions Brian Bowles and Urijah Faber Return at WEC 52

When it comes to the World Extreme Cagefighting promotion, all eyes are rightfully on the upcoming WEC 51 show. Featuring such stars as Jose Aldo, Manvel Gamburyan, Jamie Varner, Donald Cerrone, Miguel Torres, Chan Sung Jung, and Leonard Garcia, WEC 51 is shaping up to be another fantastic event in a year filled to the brim with fantastic WEC events. Looking further into the future, WEC 52 recently received a big boost when it was announced that both former WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber and former WEC Bantamweight Champion Brian Bowles would be making their returns to the famous blue cage at WEC 52.

Urijah Faber, once the undisputed top Featherweight in the world, will look to make his debut at Bantamweight at WEC 52 after going 2-3 in his last five fights. Faber’s first fight at 135 in the WEC was scheduled to take place at WEC 50, but he was forced to pull out due to an injury. Faber’s opponent at WEC 52 will be the same man he was scheduled to face in the first place, former WEC Bantamweight Championship challenger Takeya Mizugaki. Mizugaki earned much acclaim for his five-round losing effort against then-champion Miguel Torres, and despite going 2-2 in the promotion, should prove to be a good first test as “The California Kid” tests the waters of 136.

Brian Bowles also reached undisputed top-of-the-world status in his weight division, although his run at the top would prove to be far more short-lived than Faber’s. Bowles rocketed to the top of his division and even the pound-for-pound list when he became the only man to ever KO Miguel Torres, who up to then had been on an incredible seventeen-fight win streak. In his first defense of the WEC Bantamweight Championship, however, he was soundly picked apart by then-challenger and now-champion Dominick Cruz en route to having the fight called off after the second round due to Bowles breaking his hand. Bowles will face the tough journeyman fighter Wagnney Fabiano, a ten-year veteran of the sport whose record stands at 14-2, with four wins and one loss inside the WEC.

I’m very excited for both Urijah Faber’s debut at 135 and Brian Bowles’ return to 135. I think these two former champions still have a lot left to give to the WEC fans, and I think both men will be successful in their return bouts. I’ll be honest and admit that I’m pulling for Faber harder than I’m pulling for Bowles, though. I think Faber has had to deal with some tough losses recently, and I hope that a drop down in weight will reinvigorate him as it has reinvigorated so many MMA greats in the past. Even though both men are now on the comeback trail instead of their former path of dominance, I think a Miguel Torres vs. Urijah Faber superfight would be a Fight of the Year contender, so I hope both men prove successful enough to see this fight materialize.

With just two fights announced, I’m already eagerly anticipating WEC 52. The WEC has been on a pretty incredible hot streak as of late, and this show probably won’t disappoint in the slightest. It’ll be Urijah Faber taking on a tough, never-say-die opponent while the heavy-handed Brian Bowles faces a veteran submission specialist. If both men put on good performances, I think this will immediately put them back into title contention, especially Faber, who has been given title shots after winning a single fight in the past. And perhaps the two men will eventually fight each other? That would also be an awesome match. Both Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles will have to prove that they still belong amongst the elite at WEC 52, but if they do, big things are in store for them, and great fights are in store for us. I can’t wait.

And what about you, fans and friends? How successful do you think Faber and Bowles will be, and how excited are you for the upcoming WEC 52 show?