The WEC will have to find a new poster boy for its ever growing organization over the next six months. Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber, the WEC’s most recognized face, will be on the shelf with an injured hand. The California Kid could receive medical clearance before his six-month medical suspension is up, however it is a certainty that he won’t be stepping back into the cage in the immediate future.
The injury came during Faber’s victorious decision over Jens Pulver in which Faber pummeled him for five straight rounds. Usually more reliant on his wrestling skills, Faber continually used his quick hands to batter the body of Pulver. As a result, Pulver was also issued a six-month medical hiatus because of an orbital injury in his right eye compliments of Faber.
The epic battle between the two also couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. Approximately twenty four hours before Faber moved his record to 20-1, Kimbo Slice did his best to sully the name of MMA in front of a national television audience. A day after the EliteXC put on a show more comparable to the WWE, Bantamweight champion Miguel Torres (33-1) also helped the MMA cause. Torres also emerged victorious in a five round grudge match against Yoshiro Maeda. That twenty-five minute battle coupled with the Faber-Pulver clash not only helped both MMA and the WEC that night, but it could have a lasting effect.
Now it is up to other fighters to claim the spotlight inside the cage. On the heels of Faber’s latest victory, WEC just announced a trio of matches that will take place during its next Las Vegas extravaganza on August 3rd. During this triple championship affair, new fighters will have the opportunity to ride the wave of momentum that was created last weekend.
The fighter with perhaps the best chance of stepping to the same podium on which Faber now stands is welterweight champion Carlos Condit. Condit (22-4) has made quite a splash since signing with the WEC. He’ll headline the August 3rd event when he defends his welterweight championship against Japan’s Hiromitsu Miura. Miura will have his work cut out for him as Condit hasn’t much trouble mowing down opponents in the WEC. Furthermore, the WEC recently recognized Condit’s prominence and rewarded him with another four fight contract.
Condit may be one of the more underrated welterweights in MMA, nevertheless the WEC doesn’t seem him in such a light. In fact, the way he has been dominating recent opponents is very emblematic of the way Faber manhandled his competition. Although ‘The Natural Born Killer’ may not have the flair of ‘The California Kid’, he could very well find himself as one of the new poster boys fro the WEC.
Light heavyweight champion Brian Stann (6-0) also seems to be headed down a similar path. He’ll also be a part of the triple championship card when he squares off against Steve Cantwell (5-1). Stann has been laying people out ever since his arrival in the WEC, including Cantwell whom he disposed of in 41 seconds in March of 2007.
There’s nothing an audience loves more than a knockout, particularly when it involves bigger fighters. If Stann can continue a repeat his past performances, his popularity should also threaten to rise to the ranks of a Faber. But before he can truly attempt to reach that status, the WEC will have to supply Stann with more formidable opponents.
Rounding out the trio of matches already set for the August 3rd event will be a matchup between lightweight champion Jamie Varner (14-2-1) and Marcus Hicks (6-0). Coming off his toughest match in the WEC, lightweight champion Varner will be facing another rising star. This match figures to be a win-win situation for the WEC as both fighters are up and coming. Hicks holds a nine year age advantage over the 23 year old Varner, although Varner has the edge in experience. Both fighters are undefeated in WEC competition and another notch in the win column will unquestionably boost their status among the WEC elite.
More bouts for the August 3rd fight card, will be introduced in the future, but none figure to have the hype which the Faber-Pulver bout carried into last weekend. However, the hype generated by that Faber-Pulver bout should generate more widespread interest. It is now up to this new set of fighters to keep that interest level high. No one person can truly carry any organization, particularly in the world of sports. But what athletes can do is raise the bar and hope that their peers can also climb to that elevated status.
So while WEC’s next big event will not include its most recognizable face, it could have the makings of another historic event. But that is a something that will have to be decided inside the cage. Regardless of how much hype is pumped into an event, it all comes down to one man against another. The EliteXC learned that painful fact as it stumbled in its attempt to sensationalize the sport. But the WEC bailed MMA out of the proverbial gutter with a sensational effort one day later. On August 3rd, the organization will get another prime opportunity to solidify its status in the world of mixed martial arts. Faber-less as it may be, someone else in the WEC should be ready to create a new wave of momentum in sin city.
MMA Crunch is dedicated to bringing you the hardest hitting MMA coverage around.
The WEC is definitely kicking it up another notch during its September 10th event which will take place in Orlando, Florida. The WEC recently filled out the car that will feature a Urijah Faber vs. Mike Brown main event. 
Urijah Faber (Champion) Vs. Jens Pulver Featherweight Title Match