Tag: cub swanson

Cub Swanson Proves Worthy of UFC Featherweight Title Shot, but Will It Come?

For Cub Swanson, perhaps the sixth time will be the charm.
Swanson ran his impressive Octagon win streak to an even half-dozen on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 44, outdueling the headhunting Jeremy Stephens en route to a unanimous-decision victory (49-46…

For Cub Swanson, perhaps the sixth time will be the charm.

Swanson ran his impressive Octagon win streak to an even half-dozen on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 44, outdueling the headhunting Jeremy Stephens en route to a unanimous-decision victory (49-46 x 2, 48-47).

The win—over an up-jumped lightweight who himself came in on a three-fight roll—might leave him at the very top of a suddenly robust featherweight division.

Then again, maybe not. There is more than just one 145-pound horse in this race.

Champion Jose Aldo’s dance card already has him ticketed for a rematch with Chad Mendes at UFC 176 on Aug. 2. Any number of indecisive outcomes there—an injury, a draw, a loss by Aldo necessitating a rematch—could cause a delay.

Next Sunday’s The Ultimate Fighter 19 finale bout between BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar might also be just as likely as any to produce Aldo’s next challenger. In addition, Dennis Bermudez will meet Clay Guida next month at UFC on Fox 12. Bermudez currently has a win streak just as long as Swanson’s, and if he extends his to seven against Guida, well, all bets could be off.

The featherweight tides could shift a hundred times over before Swanson gets his shot. Any number of outside factors could put him off, including the fact that his victory over Stephens might turn out to be one of the lowest-profile happenings on the above list. Heck, it probably won’t even go down as the biggest story of the weekend.

Swanson’s main event win came at the tail end of another marathon UFC Saturday, which saw the company run back-to-back shows on separate continents for the second time in less than a month. It also happened just hours after news broke that Chael Sonnen had failed yet another drug test, this time for substances of the decidedly performance-enhancing kind.

So, yeah, it might turn out that the 5’7” Swanson has a tough time standing out in the crowd, despite his neon green, tiger-striped fight gear.

What we do know with absolute certainty, however, is that—no matter what happens with the rest of the division—he deserves a second crack at Aldo as much as anyone. At this point, his case is pretty much airtight.

Their first meeting at WEC 41 in July of 2009 has haunted him on highlight reels ever since. Aldo’s eight-second double-flying-knee knockout propelled the Brazilian into a title fight against Mike Brown. Aldo won it and has been champion ever since, currently rivaling all comers near the top of the pound-for-pound list.

Swanson’s journey has been a tad more arduous. Since dropping that fight to Aldo, he also lost to future No. 1 contenders Mendes and Ricardo Lamas. He sat out a year and a day with injuries, and for a while there, it seemed as though he’d never distance himself from the featherweight pack.

In the wake of the Lamas loss, though, Swanson has been on a tear. It’s been more than two-and-a-half years since the 30-year-old Jackson’s MMA product has tasted defeat, and he seems a world away from the inconsistent fighter who went 2-3 from 2009 to 2011.

His performance against Stephens seemed as good a capstone on a run to No. 1 contender status as Swanson could have hoped for. By the time it was over, he had the ferocious Iowa native bloodied and discombobulated, having weathered rough patches during the early rounds when it seemed Stephens’ power might win the day.

But Swanson proved too good and too complete. For the majority of the bout, he was able to control the range, switching stances to land kicks to the legs and body. He was also able to keep Stephens off balance, stifling his potshot offense with a higher volume and more diverse array of strikes.

It didn’t hurt, either, that the former 155-pounder said he injured his right hand during the second round. Only firing on half his cylinders, Stephens proved incapable of keeping pace once Swanson began to pull away down the stretch.

“I just wanted to come out here and paint a picture for you guys,” Swanson told play-by-play announcer Jon Anik in the cage after the fight. “What do you guys think? Six (wins) in a row, have I redeemed myself, or what?”

Consider Swanson redeemed.

On top of that redemption, though, he’s going to need a little bit of patience and a whole lot of luck to cash in his first career shot at the gold.

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UFC Fight Night 44: Video Highlights from the Main Event

For the third time in UFC history, the company completed two shows in one day from different locations. The first card, UFC Fight Night 43, took place Saturday in Auckland, New Zealand. 
The second card, UFC Fight Night 44, took place at the AT&am…

For the third time in UFC history, the company completed two shows in one day from different locations. The first card, UFC Fight Night 43, took place Saturday in Auckland, New Zealand. 

The second card, UFC Fight Night 44, took place at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, and it featured a heated main event bout between Cub Swanson and Jeremy Stephens.

The fourth-ranked Swanson outworked and outclassed the 11th-ranked Stephens in four of five rounds to capture his sixth consecutive win at 145 pounds.

The loss halted a notable three-fight winning streak for Stephens, who suffered his first career loss at featherweight.

 

Although he was ahead on the scorecards, Swanson opened up in the fight’s fifth and final round, stunning Stephens with a kick to the body before swarming and nearly finishing the Alliance MMA product.

Stephens got outstruck 27-20 in the final round. Each of Swanson’s 27 landed shots were considered significant strikes.

In five rounds, the Jackson’s MMA stalwart outstruck Stephens 108-76, including 87-65 in the significant strikes department. Swanson, who for the most part avoided grappling exchanges, stuffed six of “Lil’ Heathen’s” eight takedown attempts.

Swanson likely did enough to earn a crack at the winner of the Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes featherweight title fight, which will take place in August at UFC 176.

If the UFC doesn’t award Swanson a title shot in his next fight, then the native of Palm Springs, California, could instead face either the loser of Aldo vs. Mendes or the winner of Frankie Edgar vs. B.J. Penn.

Stephens, conversely, holds just one win over a world-ranked featherweight (Darren Elkins) and could move up the ladder with a win over a number of opponents.

All stats gathered via Fightmetric.com

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UFC Fight Night 44: 3 Fights for Cub Swanson to Take Next

On paper, Cub Swanson’s technical brilliance was supposed to carry him to victory over the tavern parking lot champion, Jeremy Stephens. While it was a nail-biter to the very end, Swanson showed that he is undeniably and unmistakably the best striker i…

On paper, Cub Swanson‘s technical brilliance was supposed to carry him to victory over the tavern parking lot champion, Jeremy Stephens. While it was a nail-biter to the very end, Swanson showed that he is undeniably and unmistakably the best striker in the featherweight division.

Now, of course, the question becomes what’s next for him?

The Jackson-Winkeljohn product has long been trapped in an awkward spot in the division, with losses to Ricardo Lamas, Chad Mendes and Jose Aldo. Wins are wins, however, and he has the resume to face anybody at 145 pounds. So who are the most likely candidates to face off with Swanson? 

 

Jose Aldo

Don’t confuse this with “the winner of Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes.” If Aldo loses to Mendes, there’s almost no way we don’t see an immediate rematch barring an injury to the current champ. Should Aldo get past Mendes and remain in the featherweight division, however, Swanson makes sense as the next top contender.

Swanson is currently riding a six-fight winning streak with wins over numerous Top 10 fighters. There is no question at this point regarding his deservedness. For a long time now, the only thing standing in his way has been the excellence of those who have beaten him. The stars have aligned, though, and it might just be time for ol‘ Cub to get a title shot.

 

Dennis Bermudez

Cub Swanson isn’t the only guy riding a six-fight winning streak right now. Dennis Bermudez shares that honor and is the only realistic alternative to Swanson getting a title shot at this time.

So…why not have an old-fashioned top contender’s bout, hmm?

Swanson and Bermudez represent two of the most exciting featherweights in the game today. Swanson’s legitimately dynamic striking against Bermudez‘s NCAA Division I wrestling pedigree makes this an always interesting grappler vs. striker matchup. Add in the fact that this would mark the first real test of Bermudez‘s career, and you have a truly intriguing fight.

Bermudez is in position to possibly improve his winning streak to seven as he takes on Clay Guida in July. That would make Swanson a logical next step for him.

 

Conor McGregor

Is the UFC’s nutty Irishman deserving of such a profound jump up in competition at this point? Hell no. Even if he beats Diego Brandao in a few weeks, it’s tough to come up with a sport-related reason he should face a Top Five fighter.

Alas, that’s not how fights are made these days. Fights are made based on building up fighters the UFC wants to move toward title contention and holding down the ones they don’t like. Swanson and McGregor are two guys the UFC likes, and playing them against each other ensures a super-compelling fight that yields an exciting contender for the champ.

For McGregor, beating Swanson all but assures a title shot, and there’s no questioning that he is the most marketable, identifiable fighter at 145 pounds. For Swanson, this guarantees more exposure than almost any other potential opponent.

 

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UFC Fight Night 44: What We Learned from Swanson vs. Stephens

With the fight seemingly up for grabs heading into the last round, fourth-ranked featherweight Cub Swanson turned it on to outlast the 11th-ranked Jeremy Stephens in the main event of UFC Fight Night 44 on Saturday.
Swanson, who looked uncharacteristic…

With the fight seemingly up for grabs heading into the last round, fourth-ranked featherweight Cub Swanson turned it on to outlast the 11th-ranked Jeremy Stephens in the main event of UFC Fight Night 44 on Saturday.

Swanson, who looked uncharacteristically sluggish in the first two rounds, kept his composure and came on to win the last three rounds to secure a unanimous decision and score his sixth consecutive win.

The setback snapped an impressive three-fight winning streak for Stephens, who suffered his first career loss at 145 pounds.

Here’s a look at what we learned from this featherweight barnburner.

 

What We’ll Remember About This Fight

Although Stephens undoubtedly possesses world-class talent and heart, he’s still a step behind Swanson in every facet of the game.

In what was essentially a kickboxing match for the better part of five rounds, Stephens cracked Swanson with some of his best shots, only to watch the Jackson’s MMA stalwart absorb the punishment and regroup on every occasion.

Swanson’s confidence grew as the fight wore on, and despite Stephens’ tremendous show of heart, it was obvious which fighter swayed the judges by night’s end.

Swanson nearly finished Stephens in both the third and fifth rounds with vicious kicks to his body, but Lil’ Heathen came prepared with a full gas tank and made it a war right until the last bell.

 

What We Learned About Swanson

He doesn’t always get off to a quick start, but Swanson has more than enough heart and, more importantly, a trusty chin.

Swanson has the ability to change a fight in an instant, and in the third round, he did that to Stephens by landing a flush kick to Lil’ Heathen’s liver.

Swanson showed patience, toughness and maturity in his sixth win in two years in the UFC. With the win, Swanson did precisely what he needed to do (short of finishing Stephens) to make a case for a rematch with featherweight champ Jose Aldo (if Aldo happens to best Chad Mendes at UFC 176) in the coming months.

 

What We Learned About Stephens

While Stephens tasted defeat for the first time since getting KO’d by Yves Edwards at lightweight in 2012, the Alliance MMA standout definitely didn’t take a step backward.

Stephens showed unmatched grit in this bout, twice recovering from devastating liver kicks from the venomous Swanson.

Lil’ Heathen also put his potent punching power on display by threatening Swanson with right hands from the first bell to the last.

Stephens obviously must refine his game in order to reach his goal of receiving a title shot, but he certainly proved that he’s found a permanent home at featherweight, regardless of the bout’s outcome.

 

What’s Next for Swanson

With Aldo and Mendes set to clash in early August, Swanson can lick his wounds from his bout with Stephens and prepare to watch the rematch between the champ and the division’s No. 1 contender at UFC 176.

Swanson, who has defeated three straight world-ranked opponents, has suffered just one loss in the UFC, a submission setback against the currently third-ranked Ricardo Lamas in 2011.

If the UFC’s brass doesn’t grant Swanson a title shot in his next outing, the only other options appear to be a bout with the loser of Aldo vs. Mendes or a fight with the winner of Frankie Edgar vs. B.J. Penn.

 

What’s Next for Stephens

Finally at the cusp of earning his first title shot, Lil’ Heathen must now regroup and string together some more significant wins at 145.

Since he’s only bested one world-ranked featherweight (Darren Elkins), a plethora of quality opponents are lurking for Stephens.

A bout with either the eighth-ranked Dennis Siver or the ninth-ranked Nik Lentz would suit Stephens just fine.

 

All fighter rankings from the UFC.

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Cub Swanson vs. Jeremy Stephens: Keys to Victory for Each Fighter

This Saturday will feature a dynamic showdown between featherweight standouts Cub Swanson and Jeremy Stephens.
Serving as the main event for UFC Fight Night 44, Swanson and Stephens have the potential to produce one of the most fast-paced matchups in t…

This Saturday will feature a dynamic showdown between featherweight standouts Cub Swanson and Jeremy Stephens.

Serving as the main event for UFC Fight Night 44, Swanson and Stephens have the potential to produce one of the most fast-paced matchups in the 145-pound division this year.

Both are on the doorstep of a title shot and have the striking skills to end the bout with a knockout.

Swanson has obviously done more within the weight class with five straight victories, but Stephens has been a wrecking ball since dropping down from lightweight.

He seems to be tailor-made for the division and should stay afloat among the best of the best, so you can see why their weekend clash has the potential to be ultracompetitive.

Here are each fighter’s keys to victory:

 

Keys to victory for Swanson

Stay patient

Even before Stephens made his transition to featherweight, he was considered one of the heaviest hitters at lightweight.

That means his power could enable him to run through opponents even if they’re more well-rounded and better equipped for divisional success.

So you can see why Swanson would want to avoid any unnecessary exchanges with “Lil’ Heathen.”

If the 30-year-old really wants to give himself the best opportunity to keep fresh and stay active, he’ll need to maintain unwavering patience.

Once he can do that, Swanson will be able to pick his shots, angle in and out, mix it up on his feet and be the quicker fighter that he is.

 

Establish early success

A guy like Stephens needs to know early that he isn’t going to run through you.

That’s why Swanson must find early success in order to maintain round-by-round momentum.

It shouldn’t be hard for him to do so, considering Stephens is the type of fighter who welcomes a war, but in order for Swanson to establish his offense early and maintain the patience we just talked about, he will have to find an immediate happy medium.

If not, Stephens could be dictating the pace from the first bell to the last.

 

Keys to victory for Stephens

Land early

Stephens is not the most versatile striker you’re going to find.

Swanson, however, almost is.

Knowing that, Stephens has to find early openings to land some of his best shots. Heck, he doesn’t even have to land flush.

He just has to do enough to keep Swanson on his toes.

As a naturally unorthodox striker who incorporates kicks, knees, combinations and solid clinch work, Swanson is going to create problems for Stephens if he isn’t tested early.

A good way to prevent Swanson from getting comfortable on his feet and finding his range is to make him keep his hands up and anticipate Stephens’ attacks.

 

Stay on his feet

Stephens is a pretty strong dude but not the type of fighter who flourishes on the ground.

So while he may be able to regain his balance and get back to his feet, his best chances of winning rely on his striking.

Swanson, on the other hand, is more than capable of winning a fight in top position. He’s a very solid grappler with great transitions and piercing ground-and-pound.

If Stephens finds too much success early, then Swanson could opt to take the fight to the mat.

Once he does, Stephens must be prepared to defend a takedown, secure underhooks, maintain his center of gravity and muscle Swanson back to his feet.

 

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UFC Fight Night 44 Weigh-in Results and Updates

UFC Fight Night 44 hits San Antonio on Saturday with a quality fight card airing on Fox Sports 1.
No. 4-ranked contender Cub Swanson meets No. 11-ranked Jeremy Stephens in the evening’s main event. The winner will state his case for being a serious con…

UFC Fight Night 44 hits San Antonio on Saturday with a quality fight card airing on Fox Sports 1.

No. 4-ranked contender Cub Swanson meets No. 11-ranked Jeremy Stephens in the evening’s main event. The winner will state his case for being a serious contender to the UFC’s featherweight crown.

Also in action, Kelvin Gastelum takes on Nicholas Musoke in the co-main event, and Ricardo Lamas battles Hacran Dias.

 

UFC Fight Night 44 Weigh-In Results

  • Cub Swanson (145) vs. Jeremy Stephens (145)
  • Kelvin Gastelum (172.75) vs. Nicholas Musoke (171)
  • Cezar Ferreira (186) vs. Andrew Craig (186)
  • Ricardo Lamas (146) vs. Hacran Dias (146)
  • Clint Hester (186) vs. Antonio Braga Neto (185)
  • Joe Ellenberger (155.5) vs. James Moontasri (156)
  • Colton Smith (156) vs. Carlos Diego Ferreira (155)
  • Johnny Bedford (136) vs. Cody Gibson (135)
  • Marcelo Guimaraes (186) vs. Andy Enz (186)
  • Ray Borg (126) vs. Shane Howell (125.5)
  • Oleksiy Oliynyk (240) vs. Anthony Hamilton (253)

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