Popular featherweight Urijah Faber, sidelined since a June loss to Mike Brown due to a broken hand, will square off with Raphael Assuncao at WEC 46 on January 10 in Sacramento, California.

Pictured: Urijah Faber

Though Faber failed to mention an opponent for the bout, it appears WEC 43 winner Rafael Assuncao is the leading candidate, as the WEC asked him at the post-fight press conference whether he’d be interested in a matchup with “The California Kid”.

“I think that would be a good fight,” Assuncao replied.

Varner, who’s been sidelined with a broken hand suffered in a January victory over Donald Cerrone, is expected to return in December to headline WEC 45 and unify his title with the winner of Saturday’s interim championship matchup between Cerrone and Ben Henderson at WEC 43.

“Jamie Varner has been cleared but needs to come back and fight,”  said Harris. “If Jamie doesn’t come back and fight, then whoever holds [the interim] belt will become (the champion). We’ll unify the belts. Jamie says he’s coming back. We’re hoping to do that by the end of the year. So whoever wins this fight then in turn will fight Jamie.”

Faber, who broke his hand in a June loss to 145-pound champion Mike Brown, is also likely to return on the December card against an opponent to-be-announced after recently signing a new multi-fight deal with the promotion following weeks of negotiation.

“I can’t wait to get him back in there. He can’t wait,” said Harris. “He’s training now. I think we’ll see him back in by the end of the year.”

The Versus-televised event does not yet have a set date or location.

Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for the latest WEC news and WEC rumors.

Pictured: Jamie Varner

Dan Cramer has been released by the UFC following a Saturday loss to Matthew Riddle at UFC 101. The UFC.com profiles for Cramer, Thales Leites, George Roop and Danillo Villefort, have all been taken down, fueling speculation that Leites, Roop, and Villefort may have also been cut following their UFC 101 fights.

Pictured: Anderson Silva

“Hopefully it’s sooner than later, but I’ll still be a happy dude,” said Faber. “I’ll be happy no matter what. I’m good no matter what happens.

“I’m ready for anything. I’ll fight anybody I can that they want me to fight, anyone that they think is interesting. I’m ready for anything. I’ll fight anybody I can that they want me to fight, anyone that they think is interesting.”

Faber has lost 2 of his last 3 fights, with both defeats coming at the hands of Brown, while also picking up a victory in a rematch with Jens Pulver. He had previously won 13-straight bouts.

• Joining Kimbo Slice and the previously rumored fighters on The Ultimate Fighter 10: Heavyweights, according to a rumored list of cast members that has circulated in recent days, will be Jim York, Justin Wren, Mike Wessel, Scott Junk, Zak Jensen, Darrill Schoonover, Jon Madsen, Tom Blackledge, and Abe Wagner.
• Andrei Arlovski has received a 60-day medical suspension following his first-round knockout loss to Brett Rogers at Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields on June 6, which has forced his boxing debut, which was to take place on June 27, to be postponed. Rafael Calvacante, who suffered a second-round TKO loss to Mike Kyle on the event’s preliminary card, was also suspended for 60 days.
• The first UFC Gym, whose features will include an “Arm Bar” with snacks and drinks, is set to open in Concord, California.
• After making critical remarks about Miletich Fighting Systems following his UFC 98 wins, Drew McFedries has been kicked out of the gym.
• Urijah Faber has been medically suspended until December 4th after suffering a broken right hand in his WEC 41 loss to Mike Brown on June 7.
• Lightweight contenders Ricardo Lamas and Danny Castillo will meet at WEC 42 in August.
• Randy Couture will train and corner Gina Carano for her Strikeforce 145-pound title bout against Cris Cyborg on August 15 in San Jose. Tickets for the event went on sale today and start at just $30.
• During a Q&A session before the UFC 99 weigh-ins, UFC President Dana White said he’s interested in signing Josh Barnett if he beats Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction: Trilogy in August.
• At the post-UFC 99 press conference on Saturday, Wanderlei Silva called for a rematch with Rich Franklin after suffering a close unanimous decision loss in the UFC 99 headliner. Dana White, meanwhile, wants Franklin to move back up to light heavyweight for a run at the 205-pound title.
• The UFC will host an event in the UK in October and the promotion is planning to hold 2 events in Canada in 2010, Dana White announced during the UFC 99 Q&A.
• At the post-UFC 99 press conference, welterweight contender Mike Swick said he’d “love to fight Matt Hughes”.
• A UFC 100 viewing party will be held at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall on July 11 with Frankie Edgar and Matt Hamill scheduled as special guests.
• Weigh-ins for The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale will take place this Friday at 4pm PT (7pm ET) at the Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas.
• Heavyweights Todd Duffee and Mike Russow are likely to fight at UFC 102 on August 29 in Portland, Oregon.
• Despite a planned appeal from Mostapha Al-Turk over his TKO loss to Mirko Cro Cop at UFC 99 on Saturday that was setup by an accidental eye poke, UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner announced on Monday that an appeal was not possible as it was a judgment call made by referee Dan Mirgliotta.
• Weigh-ins for Friday’s Showtime-televised Strikeforce Challengers event at the ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington will take place on Thursday at the venue’s Club Lounge and are free and open to the public.

[Pictured: Josh Barnett and Fedor Emelianenko]

Pulver, a former UFC lightweight champion who suffered his fourth-straight loss and likely retired at the event, took home an event-high $31,253 for his first-round submission loss to Josh Grispi.

Gamburyan, the runner up on the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter 5, surprisingly out-earned both Brown and Faber with his unanimous decision victory over John Franchi on the WEC 41 preliminary card, scoring $26,960 for his debut win.

Brown and Faber took home nearly identical purses, with Brown earning $25,256 (including a $13,000 win bonus) for his main event victory while Faber received $25,790.

WEC 41, which aired live on Versus, attracted a WEC record live crowd of 13,027 for a WEC record live gate of $818,415.

The official WEC 41 salaries, as reported to the CSAC, were:

• Mike Brown ($25,256 – includes win bonus of $13,000) def. Urijah Faber ($25,790)
• Jose Aldo ($17,625 – includes win bonus of $11,000) def. Cub Swanson ($8,940)
• Donald Cerrone ($17,682.54 – includes win bonus of $9,000) def. James Krause ($1,692)
• Josh Grispi ($17,381 – includes win bonus of $9,000) def. Jens Pulver ($31,253)
• Manny Gamburyan ($26,960 – includes win bonus of $14,000) def. John Franchi ($3,108)
• Rafael Rebello ($3,650 – includes win bonus of $2,000) def. Kyle Dietz ($1,840)
• Anthony Pettis ($3,302.10 – includes win bonus of $2,000) def. Mike Campbell ($2,950)
• Antonio Banuelos ($9,840 – includes win bonus of $5,000) def. Scott Jorgensen ($5,530)
• Frank Gomez ($3,962.41 – includes win bonus of $2,000) def. Noah Thomas ($2,630)
• Seth Dikun ($3,940 – includes win bonus was $2,000) def. Rolando Perez ($2,890)

The total disclosed payroll for the card was $216,222.05.

Brown, Faber, Aldo, and Dikun all took home additional $10,000 “fight night” bonuses for their WEC 41 performances.

Check out MMAFrenzy.com’s recap and official results for WEC 41 here.

[Pictured: Urijah Faber]

Less than 12 hours after the loss, Faber (via Twitter) has released x-rays of his injuries:

Brown and Faber received “Fight of the Night” honors for their five-round headlining brawl that saw Brown earn a unanimous decision victory.

“Knockout of the Night” went to Aldo for his eight-second flying knee KO of Cub Swanson in the WEC 41 co-main event.

Six fights ended in submission on the WEC 41 card, but it was WEC newcomer Dikun who took home the “Submission of the Night” award by kicking off the WEC 41 card with a flying triangle choke submission of Rolando Perez midway through the opening round of their preliminary contest.

Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for the latest WEC news and WEC rumors.

[Pictured: Seth Dikun submits Rolado Perez at WEC 41]