Former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber is in talks to make his long-awaited return against rising contender Raphael Assuncao at WEC 46 in January. News of the bout was first reported by MMAWeekly.com.

Faber (22-3) has spent the past couple of months letting his fractured right hand heal. He suffered the injury in the first round of his main event bout against WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown in June at WEC 41. Faber ended up suffering a unanimous decision loss to Brown. However, he showed lots of heart and determination by fighting the full five rounds through his injuries.

The loss at WEC 41 was Faber's second in his last three bouts, with his other loss occurring in his first showdown with Mike Brown at WEC 36 in Nov. 2008. His only win over the three-bout span came against Jens Pulver at WEC 38 in January. Since entering the WEC in March 2006, Faber has put together an impressive 7-2 mark with the promotion, with notable wins over Cole Escovedo, Dominick Cruz, Chance Farrar and Jeff Curran.

"The California Kid" has competed for other notable promotions during his six-year career, such as King of the Cage, TKO and Gladiator Challenge. He has finished 18 of his 22 career wins and holds other notable wins over the likes of Hiroyuki Abe, Charles Bennett, Charlie Valencia and Bibiano Fernandes.

Assuncao has won his last six bouts, which include his first two bouts in the WEC over Jameel Massouh and, most recently, against Yves Jabouin at WEC 43 in January. Prior to the winning streak, he suffered his first career loss at the hands of Jeff Curran at XFO 13: "Operation Beatdown" in Nov. 2006.

The Ring of Fire veteran sports a near perfect MMA record of 14-1, with 10 of his wins being by stoppage, including eight coming by submission. He holds notable wins during his five-year career over Joe Pearson, Joe Lauzon and Jorge Masvidal.

Though not officially announced, WEC 46 is being targeted for Jan. 10, 2010 at the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif.

The event could possibly be headlined Faber vs. Assuncao, however, a lightweight title unification bout between current WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner and WEC interim lightweight champ Benson Henderson is the first chioce to headline the event.

Varner vs. Henderson being tapped as the main event of WEC 46 hinges on Henderson's health and if he can get clearance from doctors for injuries suffered in his victory over Donald Cerrone in the main event of WEC 43 last month. Henderson's health prevented him and Varner from headlining WEC 45 on Dec. 19 and that event is now headlined by a lightweight bout between Donald Cerrone and Ed Ratcliff.