Back from a series of injuries that kept him away from the Octagon since October of 2014, Raphael Assuncao eyes a return in early 2016 and has already set his sights on Urijah Faber, who beat him by submission back in the WEC days.

Confident, Assuncao told Combate he knows what he must do to defeat "The California Kid".

"I want to fight Urijah. We were supposed to be the main event of an UFC event in Rio in March, so it would be interesting. I didn't fight right the last time I faced him. He was a featherweight and I tried to fight him using only my strength. I wasn't technical or professional. I allowed him to take me down and he was able to wrap his arms around my neck. Today, it would be a different story, I evolved and I don't fight emotionally anymore. I know what I have to do to beat him."

A low profile kind of guy, Assuncao argued with fellow bantamweight contender Aljamain Sterling on Twitter last week. Raphael believes that as a prospect with few wins in the UFC, Sterling should tone down the talk.

"This kid started talking now. He has three wins in a row and finished some good guys, but he's not refined. He has good jiu-jitsu and believes in himself, but with all due respect, his game wouldn't work on me. Dillashaw kicked everybody's ass, but not me. I'm complete, I complicate things. My game is different. Sterling must be learning from McGregor. He used to be humble and two fights later he has a new haircut, chains around his neck. He said my UFC purse can't buy his gold chain. Rich or not, I will never change. How many guys have three wins in a row? About 15. How many guys have seven? Nobody. He's pushing it."

In his seven-fight win streak, Assuncao defeated the likes of Bryan Caraway, T.J. Dillashaw, Johnny Eduardo and others. He is still undefeated at 135 ever since making the drop back in 2011.