Volatile grappler Urijah Faber (Pictures), profiled earlier this year on MSNBC's documentary series Warrior Nation, defends his WEC featherweight title Sunday night on VERSUS.

Can the high-flying Faber and company draw the spotlight to weight classes all but ignored by the major leagues of MMA? The recent explosion of MMA on free TV and basic cable bodes well for VERSUS as it jumps into the MMA fray.

The nine-bout card features five contests at 145 and 135 pounds, and just one fight over the welterweight (170-pound) limit.

In his third WEC appearance Faber (18-1) battles undefeated Total Combat veteran and fellow grappler Chance Farrar (Pictures) (5-0) in his first WEC scrap.

The rest of the main card features some quality match-ups (especially for basic cable). Canadian Mark Hominick (Pictures) (13-6) takes on Brazilian K-1 HERO'S standout Rani Yahya (Pictures) (10-2). In another battle of WEC first-timer against WEC vet, Josh Smith (5-2) meets TUF veteran Alex "The Assassin" Karalexis (8-2). And Marine Brian Stann (Pictures) (3-0) battles former pro wrestler Craig "Big Z" Zellner (4-1).

One of the most skilled, least exposed welterweights is Brock Larson (Pictures) (20-1), who tangles with fellow Midwesterner Kevin Knabjian (6-2-1), a short-notice replacement for injured WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit (Pictures).

Submission specialist John Alessio (Pictures) (18-10) meets Russian Alex Serdyukov (Pictures) (5-3) for the second time in less than 10 months.

The undercard, which will likely air on VERSUS at a later date, features another undefeated brawler, Micah Miller (Pictures) (8-0) against submission specialist Cub Swanson (Pictures) (10-1). KOTC regular Charlie Valencia (Pictures) (8-2) against relative newcomer Brian Bowles (1-0). And in the opener, Mike French (5-7) will throw down with the 6' 4", 140 pound Jeff "Little Popeye" Bedard (8-0).

Urijah Faber (Pictures) vs. Chance Farrar (Pictures)

"The California Kid" is being groomed to be the next big thing and the face of the WEC. With the featherweight strap firmly affixed around his waist, Faber makes his fourth appearance in the WEC and has yet to fight an entire round in 2007.

His opponent, a U.S. Border Patrol Guard and an NAIA National Wrestling Champion, is undefeated in MMA and makes his WEC debut. His record shows he's developed a serious taste for the KO. After submitting his first challenger, Farrar went on a rampage, stopping his next four opponents, including a KO in his lone 2007 appearance.

Talk about a serious test. Farrar in the headliner bout for an organization making its free-cable debut against a guy who is 10-0 since suffering the only loss of his career? Farrar's faced nowhere near the same level of competition but when you've stopped everyone you've come up against I imagine you just look at it as another opportunity to shine.

Farrar's greatest challenge will be to restrain this diminutive dynamo and contain Faber before being bombarded with strikes from every direction.

Once unleashed, Faber is difficult to control and lately he's been sprinting through the competition. A slow start could mean a quick demise for Farrar. Though not likely, if Farrar can slow Faber using his reach and height advantage he might be able to catch the media storm-weary Faber off-guard.

We've seen the upset monster rear its ugly head quite often lately and Urijah has to be careful not to become a statistic. I think he'll be challenged by the opportunist Farrar, but I expect Faber to keep his shiny gold strap.

Mark Hominick (Pictures) vs. Rani Yahya (Pictures)

Team Tompkins featherweight Mark "The Machine" Hominick begins his road back to glory under the banner of a new promotion. Hominick is considered by many to be the greatest champion in the TKO organization's history.

Having submitted premiere striker Yves Edwards (Pictures) in his UFC debut and stopped his previous four opponents in TKO, the champ headed back home to defend his belt against Shooto hero Hatsu Hioki (Pictures).

Not only was the title taken from him, his opponent predicted the manner of defeat (a choke). After a trio of wins (including a second triumph in the UFC) Hominick stood across from Hioki to reclaim his belt.

But it was not to be as Hominick lost a hard fought five-round majority decision. With the WEC's attention focused on his own 145-pound weight division an opportunity to fight in the promotion couldn't have come at a better time.

His opponent, Rani Yahya (Pictures), is an Abu Dhabi champion, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and the semifinalist in the K-1 HERO'S 2006 155-pound tournament.

The Rickson Gracie student was visibly outsized in his bout with Gesias Calvancanti (Pictures), and his focus on the ground proved to be his undoing as "JZ" stuffed an opening shot and locked in a guillotine on the second attempt to seal victory.

Yahya rebounded with a quick submission win in March and now prepares for his WEC debut. Had the Calvancanti fight gone longer, it may have been the perfect blueprint to prepare for Hominick, but he learned nothing in less than 40 seconds.

Hominick has fought and beaten solid grapplers so he's been in there with someone whose game will focus on the takedown and keeping the contest on the mat. Yahya is a submission specialist and hasn't spent the time on his feet to properly prepare for a striker the quality of Hominick.

If Yahya comes out with a one-dimensional attack, Hominick will read it early and send the young Brazilian packing.

Josh Smith vs. Alex Karalexis (Pictures)

One of the better-known names on the card is Alex Karalexis (Pictures), a TUF 1 competitor who has won three in a row since leaving the UFC and has made the permanent move to the 155 pound division.

He was part of the spectacle that was the first season of The Ultimate Fighter and was a face America came to know. He Josh Rafferty (Pictures) on the series finale but would lose to eventual lightweight title contender Kenny Florian (Pictures) just four months later. Then a follow-up loss to Jason Von Flue (Pictures) launched Karalexis from the event, but he's been undefeated since.

Karalexis has been impressive in both of his WEC appearances, dominating Thomas Denny (Pictures) to take a decision and then stopping the WEC's resident wildman Olaf Alfonso (Pictures) with strikes. Alex also knows a big win here could get him a shot at Rob McCullough (Pictures)'s title.

KOTC veteran Josh Smith is standing in the way. I've only seen him fight once and that was against Harris "The Hitman" Sarmiento in '05. Smith has good kicking skills and submissions but was overpowered by Sarmiento in Hawaii. He's only fought MMA once since the 2005 bout, and that rust could prove fatal against someone eyeing a title shot. Look for "The Assassin" to put his mark on the WEC lightweight division.

Craig Zellner (Pictures) vs. Brian Stann (Pictures)

Though the combatants have less than 10 pro fights between them, the bout between Craig Zellner (Pictures) and Brian Stann (Pictures) has received a great deal of publicity due to Stann's military background and Zellner's pro wrestling experience.

Stann, a first a lieutenant in the Marines, was awarded the Silver Star and did two tours in Iraq. A linebacker for Navy, Stann was always a good athlete and is 3-0 as a pro in MMA, finishing all three opponents with strikes in the first round.

A stablemate of Condit, Zellner had a stint as a WWE pro wrestler. He's 4-1 in MMA, including a submission win over TUF veteran Mike Nickels, and experienced the only loss of his career in his WEC debut.

"Big Z" is more experienced but he hasn't fought in nearly a year, while Stann returns to the cage fresh off a stoppage win in March.

Given his hot streak and all the support he's receiving here at home it would be hard to bet against him. The pair square off in the only light heavyweight contest on the card and due to all the pre-fight pub this one is likely to make the live telecast on VERSUS, which starts at 9 p.m. ET.

Brock Larson (Pictures) vs. Kevin Knabjan (Pictures)

Anyone that has watched MMA realizes that all in all it is a safe sport. However injuries in training are a very real factor in the fight game and often a serious injury derails an eagerly awaited match-up. Such is the case with the Larson-Condit fight we expected to see on this card.

Carlos Condit (Pictures) claimed the then-vacant WEC welterweight title in March and was slated to defend the belt against Brock Larson (Pictures) but a separated shoulder forced the champ off the card.

Larson returns to the WEC off an impressive first round submission stoppage of then unbeaten Erik Apple (Pictures). With a 20-1 pro MMA record (his only loss coming at middleweight) Larson has his sites firmly affixed on the WEC title. He trains with UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk (Pictures) and title or not, he'd jump at the chance to return to the Octagon in the future.

Taking Condit's place will be Chicago native Kevin Knabjian, a D-1 wrestler out of Eastern Illinois who trains with UFC veteran Clay Guida (Pictures).

Knabjian has won his last five fights by TKO or submission and hasn't lost since being KO'd by Miletich fighter and UFC veteran Laverne Clark.

The Hellhouse fighter has the opportunity to bring it to one of the division's best and make a name for himself. The problem is that Larson is geared up and ready to tear through anyone. I'd like to see my hometown fighter do well but one week's notice to get ready for this guy is asking a lot.

John Alessio (Pictures) vs. Alex Serdyukov (Pictures)

Rematches, like movie sequels, often disappoint and make one wonder why they bothered. But sometimes they really deliver and we get Aliens or Godfather 2. Alessio-Serdyukov I was certainly worth the price of admission and a second helping will be welcomed.

Serdyukov, a former WEC North American middleweight champion, came down from middleweight to fight Alessio. He had "The Natural" in serious trouble in the second round and it wasn't until the third that Alessio took control and submitted the Russian-born San Francisco resident.

Serdyukov rebounded from the loss with a win on the undercard of the Condit-Alessio fight card in March. He's been asking for the rematch and now, with a full year of training with names like Jake Shields (Pictures), Gilbert Melendez (Pictures), Nick Diaz (Pictures) and the rest of the Cesar Gracie (Pictures) camp, Serdyukov is ready to settle the score.

Alessio's hands are good and many feel (myself included) that it was Alessio who handed Diego Sanchez (Pictures) his first loss in the UFC when they met in May of '06, not Josh Koscheck (Pictures) nearly a year later. Serdyukov has been impressive and though Alessio comes in having lost two of three (including to Condit), he has the better overall game. Joining the staff of Xtreme Couture was the right move.

Disappointed with his performance, Alessio knows a win here could catapult him right back into a title shot. Given the potential for one-sided affairs in the main bouts, this one could steal the thunder of the VERSUS telecast.

Cub Swanson (Pictures) vs. Micah Miller (Pictures)

Cub Swanson (Pictures) is another up-and-comer who most fight fans have never heard of. Just one blemish soils his record and he's already taken his revenge for that defeat.

Swanson submitted accomplished Midwest fighter Tommy Lee (Pictures) in both fighters' WEC debut. Training with UFC veteran Joe Moreira (Pictures), Swanson was a natural technician on the ground but he's put in the time to develop his stand-up game and has serious hands.

His opponent, Micah Miller (Pictures), is a former ISCF southeastern regional amateur featherweight champion and went 5-0 as an amateur in MMA. His spotless 8-0 pro record speaks for itself and the fact he handed then undefeated Jesse Moreng (Pictures) his first loss in Miller's WEC debut is more impressive.

Neither fighter has a clear-cut advantage, as both guys tend to finish quickly, favor the submission and they've each gone the distance just once in their pro careers.

Hopefully we see this bout on an upcoming episode of Wrekcage because it should live up to the billing. I give the edge to Swanson: He's experienced a loss (in his debut no less), redeemed himself and never looked back. Not everyone responds that way and no knock on Miller but you have to assume Swanson will give it everything he has in his tank.

Charlie Valencia (Pictures) vs. Brian Bowles

Charlie Valencia (Pictures) is getting his chance to build his way to a title shot. After losing back-to-back King of the Cage bouts to Cub Swanson (Pictures) and Urijah Faber (Pictures), he joined the WEC and knocked out a very tough Antonio Banuelos (Pictures) in the first round. Few expected Valencia to rebound that way, especially against Banuelos.

Valencia's opponent, Brian Bowles, fights out of the same Hardcore Gym that produced TUF competitors Forrest Griffin (Pictures) and Rory Singer (Pictures). Though just 1-0 as a pro, Bowles has two additional wins as an amateur.

If there's going to be an upset on this undercard this may be it. Valencia has the huge edge in experience but other than the recent KO all of his wins have come via submission or decision. Bowles is going to look to strike.

If he can keep it standing, Bowles four-inch height advantage over Valencia could be an insurmountable advantage. I look for Bowles to perform well and stop the veteran early.

Mike French vs. Jeff Bedard

Mike French, brother of PRIDE Bushido veteran Clay French (Pictures), has fought in the XFO and the Gracie Fighting Championships and returns to the WEC off a decision loss to Antonio Banuelos (Pictures).

He is a member of Team Extreme and has been known to secure some complicated submissions, like a triangle choke from mount. French has also lost to the best talent he's faced, including Ivan Menjivar (Pictures), Fredson Paixao (Pictures) and Miguel Torres (Pictures) (there's a talented trio for the WEC's featherweight division).

French's opponent, Jeff Bedard, began his pro MMA career choking out the aforementioned Banuelos at WEC 5. Bedard (8-0) can make a statement in this division with a win over a fighter with more experience and a certain degree of international recognition. This should be his coming out party and he can stake his claim in a division that is heating up due to new exposure.