LAS VEGAS — On November 5, “The California Kid” Urijah Faber (21-1) defends his WEC Featherweight championship against Coconut Creek, Florida’s Mike Brown (19-4).

World Extreme Cagefighting presents WEC: FABER vs. BROWN, live on the VERSUS network at 8 p.m. from The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

The card that was originally postponed in September due to Hurricane Ike is back. Days before their title match, Mother Nature decided to make these two gladiators wait two more months. Now, the question is – Who will benefit from the extra eight weeks of training?

“I was 100 percent ready to go,” Brown said. “It was kind of rough on me. I took a week off to relax, just like I would’ve if I fought.”

But Brown remains confident. To counteract Faber’s wrestling ability, the Portland, Maine native, who now trains with American Top Team in Florida, has been wrestling with Cuban Olympic bronze medalist Alexis Vila. Brown admits that it might be “easier to stand and trade” with the champ, but he is not focused on one aspect of the fight game.

“I just want the win,” he added. “I don’t care how it comes. I just want to be the No. 1 guy…this is the biggest fight of my life.”

As far as the 145-pound champion is concerned, the time off couldn’t have come at a better time.

“I think I definitely benefited from the break,” Faber said. “It gave me a chance to heal up a bit. I was 90 percent, and now I’m ready to go.”

Just thought there was one title on the line on the 5th? Undefeated Brazilian fighter and WEC Middleweight champion Paulo Filho (16-0) meets Oregon’s Chael Sonnen (22-9-1) in a rematch of their exciting 2007 battle in which the champ earned a controversial submission victory.

And former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver (22-9-1) meets the always-exciting Texas product Leonard Garcia (15-3) in a 145-pound matchup.

In middleweight action, three-time national wrestling champion and Oklahoma State graduate Jake Rosholt (4-0) steps into the cage against Hawaii’s Nissen Osterneck (5-0).

In what might be the stand-up fight of the night, former WEC lightweight champion “Razor” Rob McCullough (16-4) goes toe-to-toe with Donald “The Cowboy” Cerrone (8-0, 1 NC) in a lightweight fight. McCullough is a menace on his feet, but the former champ shouldn’t underestimate Cerrone’s ground game – “The Cowboy” has won both of his WEC fights by submission.
Miami light heavyweight David Avellan (2-0) will have his hands full against two-time All-American and former Arizona State wrestler Aaron Simpson (3-0), who makes his WEC debut.

Added to this card is a featherweight matchup between decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu star Jose Aldo (10-1) and Ocala, Florida’s Jonathan Brookins (8-2), winner of four of his last five fights.

Also, former The Ultimate Fighter contestant Alex Schoenauer (14-9) makes his WEC debut against Arizona’s Steve Steinbeiss (4-1) in a light-heavyweight matchup. With two explosive fighters staring across the cage at one another, there’s a good chance the lightweight bout between Danny Castillo (5-1) and Ed “9mm” Ratcliff (6-1) doesn’t go to a decision. Off the heels of a loss in what some experts are calling the fight of the year against WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres, Yoshiro Maeda (23-5-2) walks back into the cage against grappling world champion and Brazil native Rani Yahya (12-4).

— WEC PR