Chase Beebe returns at June 1 WEC



Chase Beebe (11-2) will return to action for the first time since losing his WEC bantamweight title when he takes on Will Ribeiro (8-1) June 1.

The WEC event, which features a headline bout of WEC featherweight champ Urijah Faber and former UFC champion Jens Pulver, takes place at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif., and airs live on Versus.

The Beebe-Ribeiro bout has been relegated to the night's un-televised preliminary card.

Beebe defeated champion grappler Rani Yahya for the vacant title in September 2007 but suffered a first-round submission loss to Miguel Torres in his first title defense. That February defeat was his first loss in seven fights and 18 months.

Ribeiro will make his WEC debut after a successful career fighting in his native Brazil. Since turning pro in December 2003, he's finished five of his eight career wins via knockout. However, his current three-fight winning streak was against opponents with a meager 8-11 combined record.