Cub Swanson feels there would’ve been no question that he’s up next for a featherweight title opportunity had Jose Aldo emerged victorious at UFC 212 this past weekend.
Aldo suffered a third round TKO loss to Max Holloway in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Saturday (June 3, 2017) and dropped his undisputed featherweight title to the Hawaiian. It marked only the second loss of “Scarface’s” UFC career, his first being a 13-second knockout loss to Conor McGregor back in December of 2015.
As it currently stands, Cub Swanson is the No. 4-ranked featherweight in the UFC while Frankie Edgar sits at the No. 2-ranked position. There has been much debate as to who will earn the nod to challenge “Blessed” for the title first, but Swanson doesn’t believe this would even be a topic of discussion had Aldo won in Brazil (quotes via MMA Junkie):
“We both knew going in that if Aldo won, I 100 percent was going to get (the next title shot),” he said. “And then if Max won, it was going to be a tossup between the two of us. That’s just because Frankie never fought Holloway.
“The reason I was going to get it over him either way was just because Frankie has fought for the title a bunch of times. And when you fight for the title a bunch of times and you don’t win, it’s hard to sell that.”
Swanson is currently on a four fight win streak, winning all of those bouts via unanimous decision, over names such as Hacran Dias, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Doo Ho Choi, and Artem Lobov. His last loss (interestingly enough) came to the newly-crowned champ Holloway via guillotine choke back in April of 2015.
Edgar is on a two fight win streak after defeating Jeremy Stephens and Yair Rodriguez over a span of six months. “The Answer” has challenged for the featherweight throne twice before, but was unsuccessful both times. Due to the fact that Edgar is 0-4 in his last UFC title fights, however, “Killer Cub” doesn’t think it’s the New Jersey native’s time to challenge for the gold at the moment:
“I’m not taking anything away from him,” Swanson said. “I respect the guy. I think he’s an amazing fighter. He has a win over me. But since then, I’ve been on a tear. And the fact is he’s 0-4 in his last four title fights.
“That fact you can get that many title fights is crazy. I’m just looking for one. I’ve never had the opportunity, and I’ve been promised multiple times and had it taken away. … All I’m asking for is the opportunity.”
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