Longtime featherweight staple Cub Swanson will make the walk one final time, closing the chapter on a career defined by grit, violence, and unforgettable moments at UFC 327 when he faces Nate Landwehr on Saturday night.
Swanson (30-14) knows the weight of the moment as he asked the media to take it easy with sentimental questions about his retirement.
“First of all, let’s keep the softball questions. I don’t want to be up here crying being a baby,” Swanson told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.
“It’s been pretty cool. At the end of the day I still got to fight this guy on Saturday. I’m trying to soak it in, trying to enjoy it, but I have a job to do. I got a game opponent and I’m just happy to be able to go out there and put a show on for the fans.”
Many believed Swanson would retire following his 2024 victory over Billy Quarantillo, as it felt like the perfect send-off. However, after a year away, he couldn’t resist returning for one final fight.
“That’s what we do. We’re fighters. I honestly was very content to be done at that point. I had been talking about retirement, and being very open to it, and I wanted to be 100% sure. Didn’t want to make an emotional decision,” he said.
“I kept it to myself. I was really close to being done and then Sean Shelby started asking if I wanted to fight again, and saying they’d love to have me. The opportunity came to shine a light on what I’m doing next, and it made sense.”
Swanson credits his longevity not just to talent, but to a mindset rooted in growth and self-awareness throughout his career. Reflecting on what has allowed him to remain competitive across multiple eras of the sport, he pointed to a willingness to evolve and stay grounded.
“My stubbornness one. My ability to ask for help, my ability to adapt, and try to be better and never…I never bought my own hype. I think that’s important. Never believed everybody when they said ‘oh you’re the best right now’. I was able to continue to grow as an athlete and try to stay ahead of the curve,” Swanson told Cageside Press.
“A lot of fighters will start to buy their own hype, and they don’t think they need to mature or get better, and then the sport passes them by. This sport is still so young that every five years, it’s a new era, and so if these younger fighters aren’t constantly developing and trying to get better then they just disappear. For me to stick around this long I’m definitely proud of that.”
Swanson has gone from being the young up-and-comer seeking guidance to a seasoned veteran others now turn to for advice. For the longtime UFC featherweight, it’s a true full-circle in his career.
“That’s a great question,” Swanson said beginning to choke up a bit.
“Now it’s like I went through these things for a reason.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Cub Swanson above. He faces Nate Landwehr in his retirement fight at UFC 327 on Saturday night.