"He definitely has some dangerous tools in his arsenal," Faber said of Assuncao. "But I think I will have slight advantages in every category of the fight. I'm really excited to fight Raphael in my hometown. Sacramento is my place. This is my spot and I represent the people of this town. I want to win here and climb one step closer to the belt."

Having earned two hard-fought decisions over Jameel Massouh and Yves Jabouin since joining the WEC last year, Raphael Assuncao (14-1) is considered to be one of the top featherweights in all of MMA. With that said, his road to the world title now runs through Sacramento and the rejuvenated Faber on Jan 10. A phenomenal Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, the 27-year-old Assuncao believes he has the speed and power needed to drive past "The California Kid." Although he'll be entering hostile territory at ARCO Arena, the native of Recife, Brazil is confident that he'll leave Sacramento destined for a title shot.

"A win puts me in line for a shot at the belt," Assuncao said firmly. "I always had a feeling that I'd fight Urijah one day and I'm glad it's going to happen on Jan. 10. I think it's a good matchup of styles and we're going to push each other hard from the start."