Las Vegas, NV — Like many others, “Killer” Cub Swanson thought the decision in his UFC Vegas 78 co-main event with Hakeem Dawodu was going the other way.
As the scores were being read out at the UFC Apex on Saturday night, Swanson (29-13) gave a polite clap as if acknowledging that Dawodu had done a fine job. Instead, all three judges scored the fight in favor of Swanson — but he admitted following the bout that he had expected Dawodu to collect the win.
“I did. I’m always hard on myself. I didn’t think I won the first round, everyone in my corner said I did, that that one was an easy one to call. I thought that he picked up some steam in the second, but I know I hurt him at the end of the second. So in my mind, I was down two rounds and I was like, ‘I need to push that pace,'” Swanson explained following the fight, speaking to media outlets including Cageside Press. “He was powerful. It was taking a toll on me, but I knew my conditioning was good and so I was just trying to stay in his face.”
“I was mostly mad at myself for not being a little bit more active, but it was a chess match in there,” Swanson added. “It was a difficult one. I’ve got to watch it again, sounds like everybody thought I won at least two rounds. It’s cool.”
Touching on his game plan, Swanson, who made his return to the featherweight division on Saturday, explained that “I’m at my best when I’m out there having fun. When guys kind of sit there and they think they’re going to counter-strike with me, it kind of plays into my favor. Because I’m a little bit craftier and faster than they give me credit for sometimes.”
Swanson also believes people have overlooked his technique, mainly due to some of his firefights over the years.
“I think my whole career I’ve been a little underestimated as far as my technique, because people would say I’m more of a brawler I think, but I’m crafty. If I can get my fakes going and show some speed, they’ll kind of sit there and watch and try to counter me, and it usually works out in my favor.”
Overlooked or not, 39-year old Cub Swanson is back in the win column following UFC Vegas 78. As his career draws to a close, he noted that he doesn’t need attention in terms of a retirement fight, thought competing on a card in his hometown of Palm Springs would be ideal. “To have like a big thing, it’s not really my number one priority,” said Swanson. “But if there was anything, to answer your question, a fight in Palm Springs. That would be the only thing. A fight in Palm Springs, we have a brand new arena, and to be able to bring the sport to my hometown would be pretty big.”
Watch the full UFC Vegas 78 post-fight press conference with Cub Swanson above.
