UFC 128 Fight Card: Urijah Faber and the 10 Best Fighters from the WEC

When the UFC merged with the WEC, they got more than 10 great fighters. With the upcoming UFC 128 fight card, some of these fighters will peek their head out to fight.

It's hard to place the former WEC fighters on this list, because there are just so many fighters who could qualify.

But, we'll narrow down the former WEC fighters to just 10 to see who makes this cut.

Here they are, the 10 best fighters from the WEC.

Urijah Faber

Nationality: American

Age: 31

Former WEC Featherweight Champion

Next Opponent: versus Eddie Wineland at UFC 128

Record: 24-4-0

13 wins by submission, seven by knockout, three by decision, one by disqualification

Two losses by knockout, two by decision

Current Ranking on Sherdog.com: No. 4 Bantamweight

Last Five Fights: 3-2

Urijah Faber has been the staple of the WEC since he first stepped foot in the Octagon way back in 2007. Faber has pulled off some extraordinary wins and just absolutely impresses in every fight (minus his fight against Jose Aldo in which Aldo dominated every aspect of it). He is now in line to face Eddie Wineland with title implications on the line.

With a win at UFC 128, Faber could face off against current bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz, after a highly hyped season of The Ultimate Fighter. It isn't set in stone that the two will be coaches for the 14th installment of the reality series, but it looks like the most logical and fan-hyped idea.

Jose Aldo

Nationality: Brazilian

Age: 24

Former WEC Featherweight Champion, Current UFC Featherweight Champion

Next Opponent: versus Mark Hominick at UFC 129

Record: 18-1-0

12 wins by knockout, four by decision, two by submission

One loss by submission

Current Ranking on Sherdog.com: No. 1 Featherweight, No. 3 Overall

Last Five Fights: 5-0

Jose Aldo has taken MMA by storm and pulled off a very impressive 11-fight win streak. No matter where you look, Aldo is near the top of the pound-for-pound rankings. Not only that, but some people will also argue for him over the consensus top two fighters, Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva. He has dominated since his last loss way back in 2005 and has become the first UFC featherweight champion. Aldo faces arguably his toughest stand-up opponent yet in Mark Hominick at UFC 129.

Dominick Cruz

Nationality: American

Age: 25

Former WEC Bantamweight Champion, Current UFC Bantamweight Champion

Next Opponent: N/A

Record: 17-1-0

10 wins by decision, six by knockout, one by submission

One loss by submission

Current Ranking on Sherdog.com: No. 1 Bantamweight, No. 10 Overall

Last Five Fights: 5-0

Much like Aldo, Dominick Cruz is on an eight-fight win streak and hasn't lost since 2007. That loss in 2007 came against Urijah Faber by submission, and Cruz could now end up facing "The California Kid" yet again, this time for his bantamweight belt. Cruz is a dominant and deadly fighter in the UFC now. He could hold the belt for a while and shoot up the rankings if he indeed faces Faber sometime this year.

Anthony Pettis

Nationality: American

Age: 24

Former WEC Lightweight Champion

Next Opponent: versus Clay Guida at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale

Record: 13-1-0

Six wins by submission, five by knockout, one by decision

One loss by submission

Current Ranking on Sherdog.com: No. 10 Lightweight

Last Five Fights: 4-1

Anthony "Showtime" Pettis has made the whole MMA world take notice for his impressive "Showtime Kick" in his title fight versus Ben Henderson. That kick alone was apart of the final fight in WEC history and the most awe-inspiring kick in its history. Pettis was promised a title fight against the winner of the Gray Maynard versus Frankie Edgar fight, but instead of waiting for their second fight, he decided to stay active and fight Clay Guida in June.

Ben Henderson

Nationality: American

Age: 27

Former WEC Lightweight Champion

Next Opponent: versus Mark Bocek at UFC 129

Record: 12-2-0

Eight wins by submission, two by knockout, two by decision

One loss by submission, one by decision

Current Ranking on Sherdog.com: Unranked

Last Five Fights: 4-1

Until Pettis and the "Showtime Kick," Henderson was on an 11-fight win streak and the WEC lightweight champion. Now, he sets out to face Mark Bocek at UFC 129. Henderson is an amazing ground specialist and can submit just about anybody. He could start getting back into the lightweight title mix, but in the talent heavy, overcrowded UFC lightweight division, it could prove a tough task for the one-time champion.

Miguel Torres

Nationality: American

Age: 30

Former WEC Bantamweight Champion

Next Opponent: versus Brad Pickett at UFC 130

Record: 39-3-0

23 wins by knockout, nine by submission, seven by decision

One loss by submission, one by knockout, one by decision

Current Ranking on Sherdog.com: No. 6 Bantamweight

Last Five Fights: 3-2

Miguel Torres hasn't exactly had the greatest last five fights. Not to mention his fight against Antonio Banuelos wasn't thrilling, nor a fight that showcased the typical attacking, great fighter that Torres is. Torres looks to take back his bantamweight title and his first step is against Brad Pickett at UFC 130. Torres' experience and winning style could earn him back that title, but it's a little while until he could conceivably get there with the talent waiting in front of him.

Chad Mendes

Nationality: American

Age: 25

Next Opponent: N/A

Record: 10-0-0

Six wins by decision, two by submission, two by knockout

No losses

Current Ranking on Sherdog.com: No. 3 Featherweight

Last Five Fights: 5-0

Chad Mendes is an excellent fighter and well on his way to the featherweight title. Mendes is a former wrestler at California Polytechnic State University. At Cal Poly he wrestled in the 141-pound division title match and lost. He's coming off a big unanimous decision victory against Michihiro Omigawa at UFC 126. He very much could be the next in line to fight Jose Aldo, or if Aldo loses (highly unlikely), Mark Hominick for the featherweight title.

Joseph Benavidez

Nationality: American

Age: 26

Next Opponent: versus Ian Loveland at UFC 128

Record: 13-2-0

Eight wins by submission, three by knockout, two by decision

Two losses by decision

Current Ranking on Sherdog.com: No. 2 Bantamweight

Last Five Fights: 3-2

His only two losses have come in his last five fights. Those two losses have come against the same opponent, bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. A win against Loveland could put him back in the mix very well after his win against Wagnney Fabiano by guillotine choke. If he were to get back into the title mix, he could very much so give Cruz a run for his money yet again and could be the best opponent for Cruz. Both of their fights went to a decision, one of which a unanimous decision and the other a split decision.

Manny Gamburyan

Nationality: American

Age: 29

Next Opponent: N/A

Record: 11-5-0

Six wins by submission, three by knockout, two by decision

Two losses by decision, two by knockout, one by submission

Current Ranking on Sherdog.com: No. 4 Featherweight

Last Five Fights: 3-2

Manny is a former UFC fighter, already having fought at lightweight and competing on The Ultimate Fighter 5, losing to Nate Diaz. Gamburyan is no stranger to big fights. Not only has he competed in an Ultimate Fighter finale, but he has faced off against current featherweight champion, Jose Aldo, for his belt at WEC 51, where he lost by knockout to the champion. Gamburyan looks to get back and start his return to the UFC with a win after he returns from injury, which knocked him out of a fight against Raphael Assuncao.

Brian Bowles

Nationality: American

Age: 30

Former WEC Bantamweight Champion

Next Opponent: N/A

Record: 9-1-0

Six wins by submission, three by knockout

One loss by knockout

Current Ranking on Sherdog.com: No. 3 Bantamweight

Last Five Fights: 4-1

The once proud bantamweight champion is now coming off his second win versus Damacio Page. Bowles lost his title to Dominick Cruz last March and now is yet another bantamweight fighter looking for his shot at the belt. Bowles was impressive yet again submitting Page the same way he did in their first fight, a guillotine choke in the first round. His UFC debut shot off with a bang and now could continue against yet another top bantamweight fighter in the UFC's newly formed division.

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