Faber: Maybe I should fight for the judges, not the knockout

Quotes from an interview he did on Tuesday with Bruce Buffer for Sherdog. Thoughts on his UFC 132 fight against Dominick Cruz & how the judges scored the fight

“I felt like I won right after the fight, that was my initial feeling. I think that’s because I didn’t really get hurt in the fight and I feel like I hurt him a couple of times. But you can’t really complain about a close fight, you know, it’s up to discretion and although it feels like most people don’t really, most people… don’t really, uhhh… don’t really know what the judges are talking about. I mean, it feels like these days the MMA judges are so off the rocker, like you don’t really know what you’re trying to do out there, you know. It’d be great if we had like some consistency but Dominick fought a good fight, I fought a good fight, I tried to go for the finish, I don’t really think about decisions very much and I think I need to start being a little more cognizant of that, you know.

“I definitely feel like I could have been more of a person that put on the appearance of winning the fight rather than trying to finish the fight and I think that was the difference.”

Will we see match #3 between Mr. Faber & Mr. Cruz?

“I’m almost positive we’re going to have a rematch and I think it needs to happen to find out who’s the boss. I don’t feel like I was threatened at all. I feel like I could have done. He probably feels like he could have done more. I mean, I think it needs to happen. I don’t know if it will happen right away because there are other guys who have earned shots like Demetrious Johnson and Brian Bowles and even Joseph Benavidez who’s been just killing guys. So I’m not like demanding it but I know it’s going to happen. I’m not going to get beat, uh, I’m going to keep coming for that belt and it’s just a matter of time, so whether it’s right away or if I have to win a couple or whatever the case, I’m ready to go again and I think Dana (White), Lorenzo (Fertitta), and everyone else wants that and I think it needs to happen.”

Will Urijah Faber stay at Bantamweight?
“I think so, you know, I’m getting more and more comfortable at the weight. It’s my only third fight at the weight and I’m getting a hold of my weight. The recovery process, knowing how much I’m going to weigh after the weigh-ins, that’s a big part of it, you know, because when I know what I go right back up to, I can kind of stay at that weight for my whole training camp instead of like, you know, breaking my body down and trying to get lower and all that stuff and I feel incredible, man. I’m getting better and better.

“That fight this weekend has motivated me, made me want to get back in the gym and work on some things and I really feel like I got caught up in trying to knock Dominick out because, you know, when you’re in a grudge match like that where there’s animosity and there’s something to prove, it gets down to the most brutal stuff and you want to try to knock the guy out. So, I think I could have been a little bit smarter, especially considering that it did go to the decision and taking that into account. But I don’t want to lose that edge of just trying to go for the kill.”