At 46 years old, Urijah Faber proved age remains just a number, returning to competitive grappling with a decisive victory over Francisco Rivera Jr at A1 Combat 33 held on January 30th at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain.
The California Kid made quick work of his opponent in the main event lightweight Combat Jiu-Jitsu exhibition, securing victory with a submission he’s dubbed “No Country for Old Men.” The match was set to consist of a one 10-minute round, but ended well before the time limit expired. Faber’s submission resembles what most practioners call a short choke but it’s hard to be sure from the video.
This contest represented a rematch years in the making between two retired UFC veterans who first met at UFC 181 in 2014. Speaking on the Jaxxon Podcast before the event, Faber explained the origins of their renewed rivalry.
“I poked him and choked him back in the day. He’s always been salty about it.”
When Rivera called him out on social media, the Team Alpha Male founder accepted immediately.
“He posted something, ‘You owe me a rematch.’ I was like, all right, let’s do it.”
Combat jiu-jitsu occupies a unique space between traditional grappling and full mixed martial arts competition.
“It’s jiu-jitsu wrestling with palm strikes and slaps,”
Faber described. The format permits open-hand strikes during grappling exchanges while prohibiting backhands or closed fists, creating scenarios that more closely mirror actual combat than conventional submission grappling.
Faber has embraced this hybrid discipline with enthusiasm.
“My third one I’ve done. I had so much fun,”
he revealed. When asked about the intensity of his strikes, his response was characteristically direct:
“As hard as I can.”
The former bantamweight title contender believes this format represents grappling’s most practical application.
“I think it’s the best kind of jiu-jitsu because it’s the most realistic,”
Faber stated, crediting Eddie Bravo for popularizing the discipline within the grappling community.
The A1 Combat 33 card featured additional talent from the Team Alpha Male stable.
Faber’s competitive schedule extends beyond this successful comeback. He’s set to test himself against Olympic gold medalist and former UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo in a Real American Freestyle Wrestling match, scheduled to broadcast on Fox Nation.
Addressing the challenge of competing against such a decorated wrestler, Faber displayed his characteristic blend of realism and confidence.
“I got to find some excuses of why I think I can win, right? It’s not that I’m younger than him. He’s much younger than I am. It’s not that I’m a better wrestler than him because he’s the gold medalist.”
However, the veteran identified one potential equalizer: the wisdom accumulated through two decades of high-level competition.
“Now I’ve been wrestling, grappling, and competing for another 20 years on top of that. So it’s not the 121 lbs (55 kg) Olympic gold medalist going against the 133 lbs (60 kg). I’m a lot more comfortable, weathered, experienced.”
