The leg kicks of Daniel Pineda were doing a number on Cub Swanson at UFC 256, but he found a way to win by knockout in the second round.
Daniel Pineda looked to continue his hot streak against longtime fan-favorite Cub Swanson at UFC 256. After his first stint in the UFC ended in 2013, Pineda went 8-2 and earned a spot on the PFL roster, where he defeated Movlid Khaybulaev and Jeremy Kennedy on the same night before both wins were overturned due to a banned substance. In his return to the Octagon this year, he stopped Herbert Burns in the second round.
Swanson is as exciting as it gets in the featherweight division, with the most fight night bonuses in the weight class’ history, owning eight. He recently ended a tough four-fight losing streak, outclassing Kron Gracie decisively in October.
Daniel Pineda’s heavy leg kicks were a problem early on for Cub Swanson, who landed a nice one-two combination up top. Pineda slipped off one of his own leg kicks and Swanson got to top position. However, Pineda started working for a leg lock. Swanson broke free and landed a heavy blow, but Pineda attempted an armbar. Swanson escaped out the back door and was reversed by Pineda who stood up. A leg kick staggered Swanson, who the knocked Pineda down with a straight right. Pineda withstood the pressure and stood up, but Swanson got another barrage of strikes in before the end of the round on a seemingly compromised leg.
Swanson picked up where he left off, hitting Pineda with a right straight that sent him stumbling. Pineda got back to his feet and shot for a single leg takedown that was very deep, but Swanson stayed on his feet. On the exit, Swanson landed a beautiful right straight that knocked out Pineda. A fantastic win for the veteran.
Killer @CubSwanson put the paws on Daniel Pineda. The claws are still sharp 🐻
Stream #UFC256 on ESPN+ ➡️ https://t.co/WVX4zKCSVh pic.twitter.com/7ZNX9HsX7I
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 13, 2020
Cub Swanson def. Daniel Pineda by KO (Right Straight) in Round 2 (1:52)
