Trash talk in MMA is starting to become the norm, but Cub Swanson felt he never had to do it. That all changed in his preparation to face George Roop at UFC on Fox. Looks like it worked, as Swanson got his forst victory inside the octagon (16…
Trash talk in MMA is starting to become the norm, but Cub Swanson felt he never had to do it. That all changed in his preparation to face George Roop at UFC on Fox. Looks like it worked, as Swanson got his forst victory inside the octagon (16-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) by defeating Roop via TKO at 2:22 of RD 2.
Swanson talks about his victory George Roop at UFC on Fox 2, whether he was motivated by the trash talk and much more.
Swanson on if the trash talk on Twitter gave him that extra added motivation: “Definitely, I’m not one to get into trash talking battles unless somebody starts it. He definitely got me fired up. I mean last week, when i was supposed to be calming down one day.
“I was like you know what, I’d rather not get injured, I’m a little tired, I’m not gunna spar today. I sat down and I looked at my phone and I got a message from him saying he was gunna smash me. I put on my gear and went right to sparring. It was just like extra motivation.”
CHICAGO — Watch below as Cub Swanson breaks down his knockout win over George Roop at UFC on FOX 2. Swanson discusses his first win in the UFC, how the war of words started between the two fighters, his emotions after the fight and much more.
CHICAGO — Watch below as Cub Swanson breaks down his knockout win over George Roop at UFC on FOX 2. Swanson discusses his first win in the UFC, how the war of words started between the two fighters, his emotions after the fight and much more.
From a very young age, UFC featherweight Cub Swanson knew he was destined to become a professional athlete of some kind.If you had told Swanson he’d be fighting inside an Octagon for one of the world’s fastest growing organizations such as the UFC, he’…
From a very young age, UFC featherweight Cub Swanson knew he was destined to become a professional athlete of some kind.
If you had told Swanson he’d be fighting inside an Octagon for one of the world’s fastest growing organizations such as the UFC, he’d probably say you’re crazy.
But that’s exactly what Swanson will be doing when he takes on George Roop at UFC on FOX 2 on Saturday, Jan. 28th.
UFC on FOX 2 will take place at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois beginning at 5 p.m. PT and 8 p.m. ET.
In a recent interview with Bleacher Report’s Garrett Derr, Swanson discussed how his unexpected journey led him to a career inside the Octagon.
“I always thought I would make it as a professional athlete but I thought it would be playing soccer,” said Swanson. “I decided to pursue MMA after training Brazilian jiu-jitsu for about a year and seeing my first fight. I told myself, that looks scary but I think I could do that.”
“So, I started training MMA and those around me started telling me I had potential. I started to think I could maybe make it a career, but it wasn’t a popular sport at the time. I knew the sport would be huge someday and I figured I could make it big right as the sport got big,” stated Swanson.
At first glance, Swanson’s track record has caused many to mistake him for just another average fighter.
However, Swanson has fallen to the jaws of defeat to some of the greatest martial artists of all time in Jose Aldo, Chad Mendes and Jens Pulver.
Swanson’s stiff competition has come to prove that Zuffa has a great deal of confidence in his talents and ability.
“I believe the UFC knows I’m capable of fighting the top guys and that I’m willing to take them all on. There aren’t any easy fights in Zuffa,” said Swanson. “It’s the greatest fighters in world trying to see who’s the best of the best.”
While Swanson’s No. 1 priority is to have his hand raised, he feel he owes the fans an exciting fight in the process.
“I’ve always believed that fighters owe the fans a show. I’m a fighter and my job is to beat the man in front of me, but, I want to do it in a way that is memorable to people,” stated Swanson.
“Cub” will have the opportunity to give the fans what they desire when he meets Roop in a featherweight showdown in front of a sold out United Center.
Swanson recognizes Roop as a serious contender in the 145-pound weight division as he’s coming off an impressive performance against Hatsu Hioki at UFC 137.
However, Swanson feels he has what it takes to get his first Octagon victory when the two meet in a few short days.
“George did great in that fight and I thought he won, but that was a completely different fight than what ours will be like,” said Swanson. “Obviously his reach will be a factor in this fight but I’m not overly concerned.”
“I really love this matchup because Roop is always game to brawl and that gets me fired up for this fight. I’m the more complete fighter and I have the tools to shut him down,” stated Swanson.
Swanson’s main goal for his FOX debut is simple.
“I really want to show the fans that he isn’t on my level and that I’m a much better fighter,” said Swanson. “I just really want to smash this kid.”
Over the course of his career, for some reason or another, Swanson has developed a somewhat “mean” personality or is at least portrayed that way.
But that isn’t who Swanson is at all, as looks can be deceiving.
“I think fans see me fight and think I’m a very mean and intense person but in reality I’m very shy, quite and laid back.”
“I want all the fans to know that this is not just a job but it’s my life. I have sacrificed so much to be here in the UFC and all I want is to entertain them,” stated Swanson.
At just 28 years of age, Swanson clearly has much more to offer to the sport of MMA and feels that he is just getting started.
As time progresses, Swanson is determined to make every moment count as he knows in a blink of an eye it could all be over.
“I want people to remember me as being an exciting fighter and that I fight my heart out every time I’m out there,” stated Swanson. “For myself I want to retire knowing I reached my full potential as a martial artist, so that I can move on to my next chapter in life.”
Swanson concluded by stating,
“I don’t want to ever wonder if I could’ve done more.”
For additional information, follow Garrett Derr onTwitter.
(Roop: seen here enforcing the theory that a straight shot to the head will kill any zombie.)
Looking to rebound from his controversial decision loss to Hatsu Hioki at UFC 137, featherweight contender and TUF 8 alum George Roop has recently agreed to face Cub Swanson at UFC on Fox 2. Prior to the Hikoi loss, Roop scored a brilliant thrid round TKO over Josh Grispi at the TUF 13 Finale in June. Swanson, on the other hand, is coming off a less-than-controversial second round submission via arm triangle choke to Ricardo Lamas in his UFC debut at UFC on Fox 1. The Team Jackson product has dropped three of his last five and should need a win here if he wants to continue fighting under the Zuffa banner.
Fun fact: Roop hasn’t put together a win streak since 2007 and has gone loss-win in his past 9 bouts (excluding a draw with Leonard Garcia), so pure logic dictates that he will emerge victorious from this one. You can’t argue with that science, Potato Nation.
(Roop: seen here enforcing the theory that a straight shot to the head will kill any zombie.)
Looking to rebound from his controversial decision loss to Hatsu Hioki at UFC 137, featherweight contender and TUF 8 alum George Roop has recently agreed to face Cub Swanson at UFC on Fox 2. Prior to the Hikoi loss, Roop scored a brilliant thrid round TKO over Josh Grispi at the TUF 13 Finale in June. Swanson, on the other hand, is coming off a less-than-controversial second round submission via arm triangle choke to Ricardo Lamas in his UFC debut at UFC on Fox 1. The Team Jackson product has dropped three of his last five and should need a win here if he wants to continue fighting under the Zuffa banner.
Fun fact: Roop hasn’t put together a win streak since 2007 and has gone loss-win in his past 9 bouts (excluding a draw with Leonard Garcia), so pure logic dictates that he will emerge victorious from this one. You can’t argue with that science, Potato Nation.
In other booking news, Daniel “Ninja” Roberts announced on his Twitter yesterday that he will be facing inaugural Pros vs. Joes winner (whaa?)Charlie Brenneman in a welterweight tilt set for the UFC’s debut on FX, which features a headlining bout between Melvin Guillard and Jim Miller. Roberts has dropped two straight bouts to Claude Patrick and Rich Attonio at UFC 129 and UFC Live 4, respectively; a loss here will surely secure him a spot in the unemployment line alongside his past three UFC victims.
Brenneman recently saw a two-fight win streak, including a decision upset over Rick Story, snapped at the hands (and feet) of Anthony “Rumble” Johnson at UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson in October. Unfortunately for Brenneman, his only wins inside the octagon other than Story have similarly come over now released fighters in Jason High and Amilcar Alves, so this match-up could likely be Zuffa’s way of trimming some fat from its welterweight division.
UFC on FOX 2 goes down January 28th from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. UFC on FX transpires just eight days prior at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Michael Bisping tops TUF 14 Finale salaries by A LOT with $425,000 payout. Some mugger tried to rob an MMA fighter and quickly found out that was a bad idea. Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson.
Michael Bisping tops TUF 14 Finale salaries by A LOT with $425,000 payout.
It’s not everyday that we’re treated to “the biggest fight in the history of the sport”, and even rarer that a single gif covers the pre-fight warm up, the bout, the post-fight celebration, and the after party at Ghost Bar. That calls for a GIF party. Though the sole focus of last night’s UFC on FOX event yielded precious little in terms of motion-picture awesomeness, the fighters relegated to the dark corners of social media came through in spades.
Join us after the jump for an incredible collection of throws, slams, submissions, knock outs, spinning everythings, and even some good old fashioned mid-fight showboating.
It’s not everyday that we’re treated to “the biggest fight in the history of the sport”, and even rarer that a single gif covers the pre-fight warm up, the bout, the post-fight celebration, and the after party at Ghost Bar. That calls for a GIF party. Though the sole focus of last night’s UFC on FOX event yielded precious little in terms of motion-picture awesomeness, the fighters relegated to the dark corners of social media came through in spades.
Join us after the jump for an incredible collection of throws, slams, submissions, knock outs, spinning everythings, and even some good old fashioned mid-fight showboating.
Trash talk in MMA is starting to become the norm, but Cub Swanson felt he never had to do it. That all changed in his preparation to face George Roop at UFC on Fox. Looks like it worked, as Swanson got his forst victory inside the octagon (16-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) by defeating Roop via TKO at 2:22 of RD 2.
