A previously scheduled WEC 50 bantamweight matchup between former WEC Featherweight Champion “The California Kid” Urijah Faber and Takeya Mizugaki is now targeted for the Fall. The fight, first scrapped after Faber was forced to withdraw due to injury, is now likely for WEC 52 or 53.

Sources close to the ongoing negotiations confirmed with MMARising.com this weekend that November 7th, targeted for Faber’s hometown city of Sacramento, California, is a likely date for the rescheduled fight. The event could serve as WEC 52 or 53. Bout agreements have not been signed.

Faber (23-4-0), the former long-time champion at 145 pounds, opted to drop down in weight following a lopsided defeat at the hands and legs of Jose Aldo at WEC 48. The loss was Faber’s third in five fights and, with no additional title fights on the horizon, Faber will now look to climb back to the top in a new division. It is expected that he will still take fights at 145 pounds as well. A knee injury forced Faber out of his planned bantamweight debut at WEC 50, but it now appears that he will still face Mizugaki in his first fight at 135. All but three of Faber’s victories have come by stoppage.

Mizugaki (13-4-2) climbed the ranks of Shooto and Cage Force before making his WEC debut against Miguel Torres at WEC 40. The five-round title fight went the distance and Mizugaki gave Torres all he could handle; winning many new fans in North America in the process. He has since picked up victories over former title contender Jeff “The Big Frog” Curran and jiu-jitsu ace Rani Yahya, with a decision loss to rising star Scott “Young Guns” Jorgensen in between. With a fight against Faber now back on the table, Mizugaki could take a huge step towards the title with a victory.

The targeted November 7th event, reportedly the most likely date for the revised Faber-Mizugaki fight, is expected to take place in California. An exact venue and location have yet to be determined, though sources tell MMARising.com that the city of Sacramento – where Faber trains and has a significant fanbase – is currently a frontrunner. It is also possible that the fight could be moved up to a tentative October 13th date, which would then serve as WEC 52. Final decisions have not yet been made.

This article was updated with further clarification regarding the numbering of upcoming WEC events. The early November event could serve as either WEC 52 or WEC 53 and an exact date for the planned fight, as first mentioned in this article, has not been officially determined.

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(Photo Credit: Sherdog.com)