Former World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight champion Urijah Faber will return to action at WEC 46, tentatively scheduled for Jan. 10 in Sacramento, Calif., according to sources close to the situation. “The California Kid” will be making his first appearance since suffering a pair of broken hands in a five-round decision loss to current titleholder Mike Thomas Brown in June.

Faber does not have an opponent yet, but speculation has centered on Raphael Assuncao, who defeated Yves Jabouin earlier this month.

The 30 year-old Faber, who has dropped two of his last three bouts -- both to Brown -- hopes to rebound and return to title contention in the 145-pound division.

Assuncao, 27, has amassed an impressive 14-1 record, the lone defeat a questionable majority decision to Jeff Curran in 2006. A win for Assuncao could put him at the front of the line for the winner of the Brown-Jose Aldo championship fight set for Nov. 18.

The Arco Arena is set to play host to Faber’s return. Faber has proven a huge attraction in his hometown, drawing crowds of more than 10,000 both times he has headlined for the WEC. With that in mind, the organization should drastically improve on the 5,176 patrons that turned up for WEC 43 in San Antonio.