Watch: Urijah Faber strangles opponent into submission in combat jiu-jitsu match
Urijah Faber still got it.
Faber competed in a combat jiu-jitsu match against grappling veteran Jeff Glover in his A-1 Combat event on Saturday night at Visalia Convention Center in Visalia, Calif. The match headlined A-1 Combat 21.
The longtime WEC and UFC competitor showed his skillset throughout the bout, including opportunistic moments to land open hand strikes before securing a nasty rear-naked choke in the opening round.
Check out the finish below.
Urijah Faber just submitted Jeff Glover.
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) May 26, 2024
You read that right.#A1Combat21 pic.twitter.com/TLV9NLuMjR
View other highlights from Faber’s return match in the videos below.
The California Kid is BACK IN ACTION!!!#A1Combat21 pic.twitter.com/euuIuU0Qjz
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) May 26, 2024
Jeff Glover clearly angling for something straight out of the gate#A1Combat21 pic.twitter.com/MDI4O8mYm3
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) May 26, 2024
Urijah swung for the fences on that one#A1Combat21 pic.twitter.com/PsUe4oEdlj
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) May 26, 2024
SLAP!
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) May 26, 2024
Urijah not even going for a submission at this point.#A1Combat21 pic.twitter.com/ijGeNGR05h
How do we get more Faber CJJ matches??#A1Combat21 pic.twitter.com/J1fgsjUq66
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) May 26, 2024
Faber is really having fun in there#A1Combat21 pic.twitter.com/Zw0sfs89qn
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) May 26, 2024
The match served as Faber’s first competitive bout since competing at the Combat Jiu-Jitsu Worlds in December 2022, where he was submitted via armbar, and the third grappling match total since his most recent UFC appearance.
Competing at UFC 245 in December 2019, Faber was knocked out by then-future bantamweight champion Petr Yan in the third round. “The California Kid” knocked out Ricky Simon in 46 seconds five months prior at UFC Sacramento in his return after coming out of retirement.
Faber is currently incredibly busy as a coach, promoter, manager, and business owner, but has not officially retired from a UFC return in the future.