Faber: I asked UFC to make sure Cruz shows up

Some pre fight trash talk is manufactured, like a reality television show. Some of it is as real as it gets, like UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, and challenger Urijah Faber. The pair fight on Saturday at UFC 199, and have been trading insults for weeks, but it started nearly a decade before when Faber guillotined Cruz to defend his WEC championship.

In a recent interview with John Pollock for the Fight Network, Faber said he just hopes Cruz shows up.

“That has been a concern,” said Faber, as transcribed by Jed Meshew for MMA Fighting. “Part of it’s a testament to him working hard, part of it’s a testament to having a weird style, part of it’s a testament to him [competing] in a sport he’s probably not built very well for, but it’s a concern to make sure he makes it. I’ve asked the UFC to take some extra precautions to make sure there are people on hand to cover his nooks and crannies and all that good stuff to make sure he makes it.”

“[Cruz] is a dope, man. I’ve always been under that guy’s skin. I don’t really think about him but he spends a lot of time thinking about me. I think the reason is because I’ve been fighting. He’s been sitting around doing whatever. Who knows what he’s been doing? He’s been commentating, whatever. I’ve been fighting man. I’ve had my mind full doing, doing, doing. So it’s pretty fun. I like the banter back and forth. He’s okay at it. I think he thinks he’s better than he is at it but I enjoy it.”

“I don’t try to waste my time with negativity so if it’s not a positive, good feeling I don’t try to focus or read up on this, read up on that. People talk about how I feel being the underdog, I didn’t even know I was the underdog. I don’t care. I’m training. I’m doing my thing. That’s the reason I’ve been able to stay at the top of the heap and be a competitor like I have for thirteen years. I don’t listen to the negativity.”

“I’m just hoping. We’re this close, I hope he gets there.”

Image courtesy of Ms. Tracy Lee