TAMPA, Fla. – Retired or not retired? Cub Swanson doesn’t know, but he’s at peace.
In the UFC on ESPN 63 co-main event Saturday at Amalie Arena, Swanson (30-14 MMA, 15-10 UFC) had WEC diehards of yesteryear feeling a bit nostalgic as he turned back the clock and knocked out Billy Quarantillo (18-7 MMA, 6-5 UFC) to conclude a brawling war.
The bout earned Fight of the Night honors and was Swanson’s second win in three fights, but in the cage post-fight he indicated the high note could mark his final bout as he had promised his wife it would be.
Backstage as he spoke with reporters, including MMA Junkie, that sentiment remained the same. Swanson, 41, is largely unsure of what the future holds.
“I try not to put too much on it because it’s ultimately my decision and what I want to do,” Swanson said. “But my biggest things for this fight is to just not be pressured or put the pressure on myself to perform and be tense and just have this war. I had a little bit of a war. I was trying to be fast and loose and paint a picture and make it beautiful and something I could be proud of, and if it was the last, something I could be proud of and say, ‘I’m happy with that.'”
In MMA, many fighters who retire end up changing their minds in the months or even weeks or days that follow. Swanson understands that dilemma and admits he’ll always have desire to keep on fighting.
“I’m always going to be tempted,” Swanson said. “We’ll see how I heal up. I got three little kids that are getting a little bit older now and definitely want my attention more. I’ve got a bunch of fighters, my Team Bloodline, the guys I manage and coach. I put a lot of effort into them. These last couple fights have really allowed me to show them how to do it and not just talk about it. I was able to be about it and show them and lead by example. I honestly am more excited to be a coach at this point. I love this sport. The nice thing about being on the other side of the cage is that I don’t go home with lumps and bruises.”
Unlike some of his other fighting counterparts, Swanson has career opportunities beyond his competitive career. In addition to being a father and husband, he’s a coach and manager. So for him to step back into the cage, it’ll take something extra exciting.
“That could definitely be a storybook ending. It’s going to have to be something exciting to get me motivated,” Swanson said. “… I put a lot of thought into (retirement). I’ve had a lot of emotions go through me. It’s a tough decision. When I lost my manager during the whole COVID thing, I really had to sit back and say, ‘There is life after fighting. You should probably start thinking about that.’ It really put things into perspective for me. That was a really hard blow. I did what I always do. I got back in the gym and tried to get right back on the horse and channel my emotions with a fight.
“I learned after that fight like, ‘Man, you really need to figure things out. In between fights, you need to focus on what comes after fighting.’ I’ve been doing that, and I’ve been able to build this amazing team. I’m pretty passionate about being a coach and I have a lot of knowledge to pay forward. That’s what my No. 1 concern is besides being a father and a husband.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.
