Cub Swanson straddled the line of a retirement announcement after his knockout of Billy Quarantillo at UFC on ESPN 63 this month.
UFC commentator Laura Sanko understands it’s no easy choice to make, especially after a highlight-reel finish in the Fight of the Night. But given how spectacular the moment was, and Swanson (30-14 MMA, 15-10 UFC) had his wife and family in attendance, Sanko would’ve liked for the longtime veteran to ride off into the subset.
“I’ll be honest: I wish he would’ve done it in the moment – In the octagon with the visual of putting his gloves down with the moment on the microphone,” Sanko told MMA Junkie. “I wish that because I want all of those things for him because he deserves all of that.”
Swanson was emotional in the aftermath of the win as he reflected on his career and what there may be left to accomplish. He is a UFC record holder in multiple categories and has done everything in the promotion short of competing for and winning a championship.
Given his ties to the sport through his training team and management company, Swanson will still very much be involved with MMA when his time as a fighter is officially over.
He is currently 41, and arguably already extended his career well beyond imagination after turning professional in July 2004. Putting together a 20-year career is almost unfathomable in this sport, and for Sanko, it’s all the more reason why Swanson should exit on this elusive type of high.
“When he came to the post-show desk, he seemed like he was closer to saying it,” Sanko said. “He was so, so close to saying it. We played like a little package of some of his greatest highlights and we were talking about his career overall and his life overall. Where he came from as a troubled teen and how the sport saved him. The sport not only saved him from a path he was going down in his young life, but then it brought him (everything).
“He met his wife and now he’s got his kids and he’s got students and he’s got a management agency. MMA literally is his life, and he built that. Talking about it he got pretty emotional and he all but said that he was retiring, but he didn’t quite feel like it could say it. I wish he would’ve said it in the octagon.
“It doesn’t get better than that. It’s only down. He could knock someone else out, I guess. I guess. But this is a crazy game. You can’t count on a better walk-off knockout moment than that. That’s why we love Cub.
“He can do what he wants. It’s not up to us. But it’s not going to get better than that.”
To hear more from Sanko, check out her complete appearance above on “The Bohnfire” podcast, hosted by MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.
