Team Alpha Male struggles to live up to its name

Cruz, the bantamweight champion who hasn't fought in over two years, and Barão, the interim champ, face off Feb. 1 to settle who truly belongs at the top of

Jeff Wagenheim | Dec 17, 2013

Team Alpha Male struggles to live up to its name /

Urijah Faber (left) proved at 34 years old, he's still a force to be reckoned with in UFC. — Urijah Faber (left) proved at 34 years old, he's still a force to be reckoned with in UFC :: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

Cruz, the bantamweight champion who hasn't fought in over two years, and Barão, the interim champ, face off Feb. 1 to settle who truly belongs at the top of the hill. They've both beaten Faber, but one of them -- the one who ends up with the belt -- likely will soon be seeing Urijah once again. And then we'll find out who among the 135-pounders the real alpha male is.

Published Dec 17, 2013

JEFF WAGENHEIM

Paradoxically, Jeff Wagenheim considers himself a pacifist (except when driving in traffic) but nonetheless writes about mixed martial arts, the world's most combative sport (other than driving in traffic). As a veteran of three decades in magazines and newspapers, he's a bit grayer than most who attend UFC fights, even along press row. (A fan watching an MMA media panel show recently referred to him as "that crazy hippie uncle," to which Jeff responds, "Groovy, man!") Wagenheim also has tackled pro football for SI.com, and writes about sports and the arts for The Boston Globe. When he's not on the road chasing the UFC, Jeff spends Sunday afternoons spinning Sleepy LaBeef and Boozoo Chavis records for a popular (but not pop) radio show in western Massachusetts.