Cub Swanson is one of the top guys at 145 pounds, and in what once seemed like a shallow division, the featherweight division is now one of most top-heavy divisions in the UFC.
Swanson had a chance to move up in the division at UFC 152 when he faced talented Charles Oliveira. With yet another knockout win, it’s safe to say he’ll be on his way up.
Coming off knockout wins against Ross Pearson and George Roop, Swanson was on one of the best rolls of his MMA career. Tonight, Pearson impressed again with a lethal combination that finished Oliveira in the first round.
So, what’s next for the exciting featherweight?
Swanson has lost to both Ricardo Lamas and Chad Mendes in his career, so it’s likely a rematch won’t be booked. Therefore, two opponents come to mind: Chan Sung Jung or Erik Koch.
Chan Sung Jung recently underwent surgery and will be out of action until early 2013, but upon his return, Jung could find himself matched with Swanson. Both men have looked top notch in their past few bouts, therefore a fight between the two men will really show which one is the true contender at 145.
On the flip side, Erik Koch has had some terrible luck lately. First, his title shot was forced to be rebooked following an injury to champion Jose Aldo. Then, Koch was forced to pull out of the fight scheduled for UFC 153 and was replaced by former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, creating a superfight. Last week, Aldo was forced to pull out once again, causing the fight with Edgar to be postponed.
With all that mess, it appears Koch will not receive his title shot, therefore a matchup with Swanson would make sense.
Either way, Swanson has transformed into one of the must-watch fighters in the featherweight division, and I, personally, can’t wait to see him again.
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