Cub Swanson authored the right ending to an unimaginable profession on Saturday. However he’s unsure if his story is able to wrap up simply but.
The 20-year MMA veteran shined within the co-main occasion of UFC Tampa, battling tooth-and-nail with Billy Quarantillo earlier than ending their featherweight bout in dramatic vogue with a third-round knockout. In his post-fight interview, Swanson teased a attainable retirement, although he didn’t make a definitive assertion both method as for whether or not he’ll battle once more or not.
He saved that very same power chatting with the media on the night’s post-fight press convention.
“I’m all the time going to be tempted,” Swanson mentioned. “We’ll see how I heal up. I’ve bought three little youngsters which can be getting somewhat bit older now and positively need my consideration extra. I’ve bought a bunch of fighters, my Workforce Bloodline, my guys I handle and coach, I put quite a lot of effort into them and these final couple of fights have actually allowed me to point out them tips on how to do it and never simply discuss it, I used to be in a position to be about it and present them, lead by instance. I actually am extra excited to be a coach at this level. I really like this sport and the good factor about being on the opposite aspect of the cage is I don’t go residence with lumps and bruises.”
“For certain, that positively might be a storybook ending, so it’s going to need to be one thing thrilling to get me motivated,” Swanson added.
Swanson has a lot to contemplate in terms of retirement speak. He’s competed 44 instances as a professional, compiling a 30-14 file with wins over quite a few notable names and losses to a number of the absolute best ever to compete at 145 kilos. On Saturday, he collected his eighth UFC Struggle of the Night time bonus, suggesting he nonetheless has lots to supply a month after he celebrated his forty first birthday.
In accordance with Swanson, that is removed from the primary time he’s needed to take into account hanging up the gloves.
“My mother and my stepmom, who each are very near me, begged me to cease preventing in 2011 once I fractured my face and I might have stopped then,” Swanson mentioned. “I might have stopped at any second, however I simply all the time felt like I had extra to do. At this level, I really feel like I’ve executed lots and I’m pleased with it, so like I mentioned, it must be one thing actually thrilling, so we’ll see what occurs.”
Requested to select the favourite second of his profession, he picked his UFC 206 win over Doo Ho Choi, which was inducted into the UFC Corridor of Fame’s Struggle Wing in 2022. It’s a bout that’s important to Swanson for quite a few causes.
“I imply, the Doo Ho Choi battle is tough to prime,” Swanson mentioned. “I’ve so many fights which can be particular for various moments. Individuals don’t perceive there’s so many issues that occur in camps and in life that it’s essential to overcome, so there’s particular fights for various causes, however for certain the Doo Ho Choi battle as a result of I had the battle of the 12 months, I made the Corridor of Fame due to it, after which I came upon I used to be going to be a father that evening, so it’s fairly exhausting to prime.”
Swanson mentioned he’d be open to a rematch with Choi, who scored a powerful victory over Nate Landwehr at UFC 310 this previous Saturday.
For now, Swanson is left to bask within the glory of his newest win. Whereas he knew this might probably be the ultimate battle of his profession, when he stepped into the cage he did his finest to not concentrate on what it meant within the grander scheme of issues.
“I strive to not put an excessive amount of on it as a result of it’s finally my resolution and what I wish to do, however my greatest factor for this battle was simply to not be pressured, put the stress on myself to carry out and be tense and have this conflict,” Swanson mentioned. “I had somewhat little bit of a conflict, however I used to be making an attempt to be quick and unfastened and paint an image and make it lovely and one thing I might be pleased with, and if it was the final, that I might say, ‘Man, I’m pleased with that.’”
