MMA: Uriah Faber Pays The Price

In Germany, the powers that be are currently very concerned about the injury list from UFC 99 which was the first MMA event held in their country.

The list of injuries and medical suspensions concern them and in their way of thinking, reinforce that MMA is a vicious bloodsport which results in a variety of horrendous and inexcusable injuries to its participants.

While I admit the list of medical suspensions did seem quite long for the event held in Cologne, I am currently more concerned with Uriah Faber's recent injury from his fight with Mike Brown.

Uriah was eager for and very confident in his quest to regain the Championship title of the 145 pound division in WEC when he met and challenged his successor, Mike Brown, for the belt in the octagon.

Even though he was greatly hampered in his efforts by breaking a bone in his right hand during the very first round from striking Brown in the head, he went all five rounds with his typical balls out effort, without any concern for his obvious injury.

True to his own instincts, Mike Brown continued to wade into the fight and though he sensed that Faber had injured his right hand, he did not take advantage of that situation.

Both fought on at a furious pace grappling, striking, and kicking their way to the decision which declared Brown the winner "and still Champion", of the 145 pound division.

Brown went home with the belt and Uriah went for x-rays, which lead to surgery.

On the new "Fight House" radio show, host Ariel Harwani interviewed Faber by phone, this week on the shows very first episode.

It was good to hear from the 'Cali Kid' so soon and learn that after the fracture was corrected by the placement of a surgical screw, he was feeling no pain, not taking the pain medicine and only complaining of having others waiting on him. What a sweetie.

My biggest surprise was heard during the on-air interview, when hearing Faber shy away from a former statement endorsing the necessity of a union to obtain better pay for the WEC fighters by saying, "why bite the hand that feeds you," and "we need to have PPVs of WEC to receive better pay."

Oh boy, not exactly Grandma Dee friendly opinions. In this case I would have to defer to his greater MMA knowledge and just suck it up if WEC goes to PPV.

He did say that ultimately, Zuffa and Dana White would have to make the decision when that will occur.

With the energy this guy has, I would hate to be a nurse in charge of him. He already sounds tired of being inactive. I can't imagine having to deal with that type of patient.

My final statement to the Germans would have to be that each MMA fighter is aware of the consequences of fighting in the cage as they sign for the fight on the dotted line.

If they are hurt and want out, they have the option of tapping out at any time.

Since my memory is too faulty to recall the national sport in Germany, I cannot really make any comparisons, but I will say that unlike cock fighting, the participants are willing to take the risks and live with whatever the consequences are.

Uriah Faber did not fight in Germany, but he is living proof of that fact.