SACRAMENTO, California - If you think the pressure of a huge hometown crowd's expectations or a huge title defense or a formidable former champ determined to take away his belt would make the WEC's Urijah Faber uptight, you don't know "The California Kid."

During his walk-in here Sunday night (June 1), Faber clearly showed his confidence and poise when he clearly said, "Hi, mom."

"I am just a confident guy," said Faber, when asked to explain his confidence later. "Like a skier headed for the slopes on the last day of school, I look forward to getting in there."

And indeed he did, as he scored a unanimous decision over former UFC champ Jens Pulver and retained his WEC featherweight title.

Presented in the present tense as it occurred, following are the highlights of some of the fights.

UNDERCARD HIGHLIGHTS
The Fighters: Will Ribeiro vs. Chase Beebe
Division: Bantamweight
The Winner: Ribeiro (split decision)
ROUND 1. Beebe picks him up and slams him. Beebe gets the mount and drops a few elbows. Get to their feet. Ribeiro throws a good combo, and Beebe again takes him down. Dazzling kicks by both.

ROUND 2. Ribeiro works a guillotine. Beebe works out and ends up in Ribeiro's guard. He then drops a few elbows. Riberio throws a few elbows from the ground. Ribeiro reverses and jumps to his feet. Throws a flying punch and then drops to the canvas to mix things up again. From Ribeiro's corner ... instructions in Portuguese. Beebe works back to top and drops a few punches.

BETWEEN ROUNDS. Between rounds Ribeiro's corner applies a bag of ice to the fighter's head, but the cornerman spills more than half the bag onto the canvas. The ref and others scramble to throw the ice out of the cage before the round starts.

ROUND 3. Nice jump back turning kick by Ribeiro connects to Beebe's stomach. Ribeiro throws a beautiful spinning heel kick that just flies over the top of Beebe's head. Ribeiro connects with a nice combo. Ribeiro throws another back kick while his corner incessantly throws instructions out to him in Portuguese. Ribeiro cranks on a guillotine with just about one minute to go. Beebe executes a reverse and ends up in Ribeiro's guard. Just 45 seconds to go. Ten seconds in the round. Beebe drops elbows.

AFTER THE FIGHT. Beebe's corner carries him around the cage on his shoulders. When he is announced the winner, Ribeiro covers his mouth and squats briefly. Beebe shakes his head and then shakes Ribeiro's hand.

The Fighters: Mike Brown (19-4) vs. Jeff Curran (31-10)
Division: Featherweight
The Winner: Brown (unanimous decision)
From Brown's Corner: "Side to side, Mike. Side to side." . "Elbows!" . "20 seconds, Mike!" . "Go! Go! Go! . Elbow! Elbow!" . "Watch the kimura! Watch the kimura!"

The Fighters: Danny Castillo (5-1) vs. Donald Cerrone (8-0)
Division: Lightweight
The Winner: Cerrone (armbar)
Highlights of the Fight: Huge ovation for Castillo, who is from Sacramento. Castillo shoots, but he can't get the takedown. When Cerrone throws a high kick, Castillo takes him down. The fight goes to the ground. Cerrone works the sub, and takes the fight via submission.

MAIN CARD
The Fighters: Kenneth Alexander (5-3) vs. Rob McCullough (16-4)
Division: Lightweight
The Winner: McCullough (split decision)
Highlights of the Fight: McCullough comes out with fire in his eyes. Alexander shoots, but McCullough sprawls. They end up on the canvas and work their way back up seconds later. Still more less feeling each other out. Alexander throws a high round kick and then follows with a front push kick. With 1:12 to go in the round, the crowd boos a little, hoping for a little more action. Alexander shoots, but Rob stops him. McCullough comes right back with a knee that smacks Alexander. After the round, the crowd boos. McCullough is shown on the big screen after Round 1, and he has a welt under his right eye.

ROUND 2. The action goes to the canvas, and Alexander is on top. They work back up almost immediately. Alexander tries to shoot again, but McCullough sprawls. Lots of boos. Rob motions for Alexander to come on. Rob throws a left crescent kick that looks awesome, but it does not connect. More boos. 2:16 left in the round. Rob throws a low right round kick that smacks Alexander's leg. Alexander throws a big round kick at Rob's head, and he slides out of the way. More boos at 1:20. Alexander throws a combination and then takes McCullough down. He ends up in Rob's guard with just 10 seconds to go in the round. The crowd boos loudly between rounds. Tito Ortiz, who is in Rob's corner, goes to the outside of the cage to offer input. He jumps up on the cage and leans over.

ROUND 3. The boos begin at 4:14. At 3:37 the crowd chants "Fight, fight, fight." McCullough is pressing the action. The crowd in the upper deck stomps its feet, almost sounding like a freight train is rumbling through the building. Alexander goes down from an inadvertent groin shot. After a 30-second break, the action resumes. Alexander fakes a punch and goes for the takedown. Rob sprawls. 1:30 to go. Alexander scores a takedown at 50 seconds. While on his back, McCullough throws a few elbows. Rob presses the action with some kicks. They go to the ground and are up again quickly. The crowd boos at the end of the fight.

The Fighters: Chuck Grigsby (15-4) vs. Mark Munoz (4-0)
Division: Light Heavyweight
Fighter Notes: Munoz is out of Sacramento and making his WEC debut. Grigsby is 6 feet 6.
The Winner: Munoz (KO)


Highlights of the Fight: Munoz shoots, and Grigsby sprawls. Grigsby goes briefly for a guillotine. Grigsby again goes for a guillotine, but he loses it almost immediately. Munoz ends up in Grigsby's guard. Munoz stands in the guard and drops a few punches. Munoz throws a huge punch that just misses. He then attacks and immediately stands up. Grigsby uses his legs to keep Munoz away, but then the Sacramento fighter pounces and ends up in half guard. Munoz is still in control, and the crowd roars with every punch he throws. He just unloads with some massive ground and pound. He's pulling Grigsby's legs and then dives in for another punch and another one. Finally, the ref stops the fight as Munoz dances around the cage.

Grigsby is down, and stays down for several minutes. Finally, he gets to his knees. Meanwhile, Munoz is jumping up and down and celebrating the victory. Clay Guida stands and applauds. Grigsby finally sits up. He's surrounded by a group of people. Finally, he gets to his feet. During the cage interview with Munoz, Grigsby slowly exits the cage. Medical personnel brought a stretcher to the cage, but Grigsby walks out on his own power.

The Fighters: Yoshiro Maeda (23-5) vs. Miguel Torres (34-1)
Division: Bantamweight Championship
The Winner: Torres (TKO)
Highlights of the Fight: Torres starts with a kick that Maeda catches. Torres comes in with some vicious combos. He has Maeda backing way up. Maeda throws a blistering low round kick. Maeda drops his hands, as if in disgust at 3:57. Up against the fence. Maeda drops his hands as if to show he's frustrated. When Torres comes in for the attack, Maeda drops down and shoots. They go to the ground and, Torres works the submission. Maeda again drops his hands. Maeda throws an ax kick that lands on Torres' shoulder. Nice exchange up against the fence. Torres means total business. Down to the canvas. Maeda is in Torres' guard. 1:18 to go. Maeda throws a right round kick to the head. The action finally slows just slightly at 32 seconds. Maeda lands a kick that has to get Torres' attention.

ROUND 2. Maeda holds up his glove for a tap. Initially Torres ignores it. When Maeda leaves his glove there, Torres finally touches. Torres goes down. May have been a slip. Maeda again drops his hands. Torres throws a vicious kick and then he goes down. While down, he motions for Maeda to come down there. When he moves in, Torres hits him with an upkick. Maeda now motions for Torres, who charges and throws a combo. Amazing action. Mainly on their feet. 3:03 to go. Another exchange as they bang into the fence. Torres throws a foot stomp and then blasts away at Maeda with seemingly 40 punches. Maeda turns around and retaliates. Maeda catches a kick and then they go to the canvas. Maeda works for a leglock. Torres then works for a leglock. While Torres goes for it, he throws a few heel kicks. The crowd is cheering like crazy. The rafters are shaking. Amazing fight. Elbows to Torres' face. Torres goes for a triangle. Back to their feet at 52 seconds. Torres attacks again. Torres mounds Maeda and goes for a choke. 14 seconds. Elbows to the back. Maeda is in trouble. Covers up while Torres throws heel kicks. After the round, Maeda stays down and rests. His corner rushes in and holds ice to his face.

ROUND 3. Maeda's arms are down as the round begins. Nice Torres knee. Maeda connects with a left hook as Torres throws a left low round kick. Big exchange that Torres ends with a high round kick. Maeda's right eye is swollen. Maeda catches a Torres right round kick. Maeda attacks and backs Torres up against the fence. Torres whips a head high round kick past Maeda. 1:40 to go. Fight goes to the ground and Maeda throws a slew of quick elbows. Maeda allows Torres up. Blood on Torres. Looks like it could be the bridge of his nose. A jab rocks Maeda.

The Fighters: Jens Pulver (22-9) vs. Urijah Faber (21-1)
Division: Featherweight
The Winner: Faber (unanimous decision)
THE WALK-IN: Jens walks in with total attitude. Then he bows to each corner of the arena. Urijah begins his walk in and says "Hi mom" to the camera. Urijah's walk in is more of a dance, and the crowd reaches for him and he slaps a bunch of hands and smiles and gives hugs. He dances and moves as he comes past the media table. Playing to the camera all the way. While Faber is getting Vaseline, Clay Guida yells something to him. Pulver turns and hugs his corner and then heads up the stairs and into the cage. As he enters, the crowd cheers. He raises his arms and says something to Jens. Prior to the fight, everyone is standing. No one in the lower levels is sitting.

ROUND 1. Jens fakes a high round kick, spins and covers. They tie up against the fence. Faber throws a vicious uppercut. Crowd stomps its feet in the upper deck. Faber charges and is aggressive. Left round kick by Faber. Jens presses the action. A Faber high round kick misses and Faber slips. Jens goes down after him and ends up in his guard. Jens lets him up, and they are back on their feet. Jens gets hit in the eye and dances away. Faber throws a big right and then moves in. Pulver counters. Quick punches by Faber. Exchange. Fast-paced fight. Jens smiles after getting a round kick to the head. Jens counter punches and presses the action a bit. 30 seconds to go. The crowd chants "Faber."

ROUND 2. Faber connects to the groin with a kick, and you can hear it smack. Jens goes down and is in obvious pain. Fight resumes after 30 seconds. Faber scores a takedown and forces Jens up against the fence. Faber tees off. Jens scores with body punches. Faber his Jens backing up. Jens appears tired as he looks up at the clock. He goes to the corner and goes down. Jens appears gassed. Monte Cox leads him to the corner.

ROUND 5. They shake hands and hug before the start of the round. Faber throws a right round kick. Faber shoots and does not get the takedown. Jens holds his eye after Faber connects with a punch. Jens presses the action. 2:12 to go. Crowd chants "Faber" at 1:57. Faber shoots but does not get the takedown. Pulver connects to the body. Faber connects with a big knee. Faber throws a round kick to the body. Pulver looks at the screen. Less than a minute to go. Pulver throws a big left. Crowd is on its feet again. Pulver attacks. They tie up. Less than 30 to go. Faber is on top and 17 to go. After the fight, Faber raises his arms. They stand and hug and pat each other on the head. Before he walks away, Faber pats Jens on the head.

For more coverage on this WEC event, see the September issue of Ultimate Grappling.