Sources: Faber Out Until November

Former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber might not grace the cage again until November.

In July, Faber, arguably the promotion’s most popular star, withdrew from his bantamweight debut bout against Takeya Mizugaki, which was scheduled for WEC 50 “Cruz vs. Benavidez” on Aug. 18 at the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Faber, suffered a knee injury in training that didn’t require surgery, said his MMA Inc. manager Mike Roberts.

The 31-year-old California native was tentatively expected back in September to face Mizugaki in the re-scheduled bout. However, sources close to both fighters’ camps indicated that the fight could be pushed to November or even December on account of Faber’s rehabilitation.

Faber’s impressive 13-fight win streak was snapped in November 2008, when he lost the title to durable American Top Team product Mike Thomas Brown. Faber has gone 2-2 in the WEC cage since then, and dropped a unanimous decision to featherweight champion Jose Aldo at WEC 48 last April in Sacramento, Calif.

The 26-year-old Mizugaki waged one of the more notable bouts of 2009 against former bantamweight champion Miguel Torres at WEC 40. In April, Mizugaki earned a unanimous decision over Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Rani Yahya, also at UFC 48.