Cub Swanson knows the end is near, but he isn’t ready to call it a career quite yet.
Swanson (29-14 MMA, 14-10 UFC) will make his 25th octagon appearance when he takes on Billy Quarantillo (18-6 MMA, 6-4 UFC) on Dec. 14 at UFC on ESPN 63 from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. Ahead of his fight against Quarantillo, 41-year-old Swanson revealed to MMA Junkie that he signed a new contract with the UFC.
“I just signed a new multifight deal, four fights,” Swanson told MMA Junkie Radio. “It’s fight by fight, but this would have been my last one, so I told them I didn’t intend on fighting out of my contract and going other places. I want to stay here. I think it’s fitting, and so we did a new deal. But it’s fight by fight.”
Swanson has split his past six appearances. He’s fought the who’s who at featherweight throughout his career and is happy to draw someone who isn’t a rising contender on a tear.
“I know that he’s tough, he’s gritty,” Swanson said of Quarantillo. “He wants to be in the exciting fights, and he’s been in a bunch of them, so I think that’s what he wants. He wanted a fight like me so he could go out there and have a big performance, something he could be proud of. That’s the kind of fighter I think he is.
“He’s getting up there in age. He’s been around for a little bit, so I like the matchup. I kept getting told stop fighting the youngsters who are on their way up, a
and I think the last two opponents have been good opponents. They’re guys who like to fight, but they’ve been around for a while. I think the fans appreciate it.”
Went to school with Cub. He is a good dude and I am happy to see the career he has had. I will always watch his fights however many left.
Cubs the fucking man. And has been for a long ass time. War Cub.
Seems like a nice enough guy and on his good days he’s very fun to watch.
Its always been said hes the guy in the gym whos the best in the world but in the cage is slips mentally…
I just hope he goes out on a win