Las Vegas — Featherweight legend Cub Swanson admits that those around him, friends and family, have wanted him to step back from fighting young, hungry up-and-coming twenty-somethings.
That will finally happen at UFC 303, where “Killer” Cub takes on Andre Fili in about as fan-friendly of a fight as you’ll find.
Of course, as Swanson pointed out during the UFC 303 media day, “I don’t pick who I’m fighting, they just say I’m fighting this guy, and I’m like ‘sure.'”
Having said that, the appeal of Swanson-Fili is not lost on the vet. “At least now everyone’s happy with this match-up. I think it’s a real treat for fans. It’s exciting.”
Entering UFC 303, Swanson is simply looking to have fun with his fights, making the Fili match-up all the more attractive.
“Especially at this point of my career, I’m trying to have fun. I know that when I’m out there having fun, I have my best performances. That’s really what I’m trying to do, is have great performances. I think I’ve solidified myself as a fan favorite and somebody people love to watch fight, and at this point, it’s just icing on the cake.”
Swanson knows that he’s closer to the end of the road than the beginning, and is trying to soak in the moment as a result. “I’ve been on that wavelength for a little while, and I’m in the mindset of, this is the last chapter, not the last fight. I don’t know what’s next. I take every fight like it’s my last.” Cub added that, suffering from back issues, he felt his last fight might have been his last, but after back surgery, he’s feeling his best in years.
“It definitely breathed some new life into my career. I’ll take it one fight at a time.”
Outside of the cage, Swanson has been serving as a commentator for regional promotion LFA, one of the biggest feeder promotions for the UFC.
“I’m really enjoying that, because I think one false narratives about me is that I’m scrappy and tough, and that I’m not smart,” he told Cageside Press. “I feel like I’m actually very technical, and I kind of make it look wild when I’m being strategic in there. So I feel like when people hear me talk about fighting, they see I’m more than just a scrappy kid, that I’ve put tons and tons and tons of thought into this.”
“I see it as the next step when I can’t fight anymore. It’s going to help me fill that void, the same as coaching and managing fighters.”
Watch the full UFC 303 media day appearance by Cub Swanson above.
