LAS VEGAS – As UFC featherweight Cub Swanson nears 15 years competing at MMA’s highest stage, the 38-year-old veteran believes his track record stands as testament to his worth.
“I think the longevity really shows your professionalism because, man, I can’t tell you how many people have been the next big thing and, like, I’ve been here,” Swanson told MMA Junkie at Wednesday’s media day at the UFC Apex. “This person is the next big thing, and they come, and they have these big fights, and then they’re retired and people don’t even remember them anymore – and I’m still here. To me, that’s impressive. Try being, top 10, top 15, for over a decade. Try doing that. It’s difficult, especially when life hits you, you know?
“You’re not the same person when you started, so over the years, you have to keep evolving, and I think if I wasn’t doing that my entire career – trying to get better, being honest with myself, not having ‘yes men’ around me, people telling me how great I am all the time and trying to keep the people that were honest with me around – if I wasn’t doing those things, I wouldn’t still be here, and I wouldn’t be able to be making the money I’m making or have the things that I have and be able to take care of my family the way I am. So, yeah, I’m grateful for that.”
Swanson has seen first-hand the rise of MMA into the mainstream. He joined the WEC in 2007, when the promotion was still trying to find an identity as a newly acquired promotion under the Zuffa banner. We was one of the featherweights that was brought under the UFC banner when the WEC’s lighter-weight divisions were brought to the sport’s biggest promotion.
He’s had six “Fight of the Night” bonuses during his run, including one “Fight of the Year” candidate with Dooho Choi in 2016. This past weekend’s UFC 269 headliner between lightweight champ Charles Oliveira and former interim champ Dustin Poirier? He’s fought each of them – and beat them both.
But Swanson has also dealt with his share of setbacks along the way, like his May loss to Giga Chikadze, and he admits those low moments aren’t always easy to accept.
“Coming off of, you know, after a loss like that, it really is like, ‘Oh, this sucks. Why am I still doing this?’” Swanson said. “But then, you know, you’ve got to remember the good times and the possibilities and that, hey, you know what? Everybody goes through this.
“There’s been many times where I lost and was bitter, and I think you’ve got to learn to get over that and learn from everything and say, ‘OK, how can I be better as a fighter, as a human?’”
Swanson (27-12 MMA, 12-8 UFC) returns to action this weekend, facing fellow longtime veteran Darren Elkins (26-9 MMA, 16-8 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 199, which streams live on ESPN+ on Saturday at the UFC Apex.
It’s a matchup which won’t have any real impact on the rankings at 145 pounds or help dictate who fights for a title moving forward. Still, it’s a fight that matters very much to Swanson for completely different reasons.
“Killer” Cub admits he’s not sure how much longer he’ll be doing this whole cagefighting thing. But while he is, he wants to make sure he’s doing it for all the right reasons, and that his legacy continues to be one that makes him proud.
“Right now, it’s just fight by fight, honestly,” Swanson said. “I’m going to have to redo my deal here soon, and it’s stressful for my wife, you know? Even though she gets to watch all the fights, all the time, it’s different when it’s somebody you love. But yeah, I wanted my kids to be able to remember me fighting, and that’s been important for me. I want them to have memories. I didn’t want them to hear stories about me and not have, like, remembered those, so it’s been important for me, and they’re actually going to be at the fights, so I’m excited about that.
“I want to just keep making memories, keep trying to be the best version of myself. I definitely know I’m not going to be fighting forever, and I definitely know I’m on the later part of my career, but I still feel good, and as long as I’m performing well, then it’s still going to be an option.”
To hear the full interview with Swanson, check out the video above.