Tag: Cub Swanson

Andre Fili vs. Cub Swanson joins UFC 303 lineup on June 29

Featherweight veterans Andre Fili and Cub Swanson will throw down at UFC 303 this summer.

Featherweight veterans will throw down at UFC 303 this summer as [autotag]Andre Fili[/autotag] is set to meet [autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag] on June 29 during International Fight Week at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie following an initial report from Fili’s management, Iridium Sports Agency.

Fili (23-11 MMA, 12-10 UFC), 33, has split his past four octagon appearances. After a first-round TKO finish of Lucas Almeida at UFC 296, the Team Alpha Male fighter stepped in on short notice against Dan Ige at UFC Fight Night 236 in February. He lost the fight by knockout in the first round.

Swanson (29-13 MMA, 14-9 UFC) snapped his four-fight losing skid by winning four of his past six. After a failed attempt at bantamweight against Jonathan Martinez, Swanson returned to featherweight this past August when he edged out Hakeem Dawodu in a close decision win.

With the addition, the current UFC 300 lineup includes:

  • Cody Durden vs. Carlos Hernandez
  • Andre Fili vs. Cub Swanson

Spinning Back Clique LIVE with guest panelist Cub Swanson: UFC vs. USADA, UFC 294, Paul-Danis, more

Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel discusses the UFC-USADA situation, UFC 294’s new headliners, Logan Paul vs. Dillon Danis and much more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of special guest and UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag], Brian “Goze” Garcia, and Nolan King will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate:

  • The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency pulled a stunner when it announced it no longer would be the UFC’s drug-testing partner starting in 2024. The organization specifically singled out Conor McGregor and a presumption that the UFC will try to skirt the rules and let him fight without being in the testing pool for six months with two clean tests. The UFC said USADA is dirty. There is all kinds of stuff to unpack here – including the part we’ve all wondered about for months, which is what will happen when McGregor is ready to return sooner than the USADA standard?
  • UFC 294 got a new main event when former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira pulled out of his rematch with champ Islam Makhachev. Instead, featherweight titleholder Alexander Volkanovski will take one more crack at becoming a two-division champ. He lost to Makhachev in February going after the 155-pound belt, and he jumped at the chance for a rematch sooner than he expected.
  • To go with that new headliner in Abu Dhabi, the co-main event changed when Paulo Costa pulled out of his fight against the unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev. So ex-welterweight champ Kamaru Usman will move up to middleweight for the first time in the UFC and will try to snap his two-fight skid in perhaps the toughest way possible. We’ll look at the stakes for everyone involved.
  • The Logan Paul vs. Dillon Danis boxing match was about what most people expected. It also appears to have drawn a lot of attention. We’ll look at that fight, plus Derrick Lewis’ short-notice shot in Brazil, the UFC’s bonus decisions, the new Sphere in Las Vegas, and much more …

MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month for August: Collard, Burgos produce a classic contest for PFL

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from August 2023.

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from August 2023: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month award for August.

At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.

Nominees

Cub Swanson changes tune on Hakeem Dawodu decision, would have contemplated retirement with loss

Cub Swanson’s opinion on his fight with Hakeem Dawodu changed after rewatching it.

[autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag]’s opinion on his fight with [autotag]Hakeem Dawodu[/autotag] changed after rewatching it.

Swanson (29-13 MMA, 14-9 UFC) defeated Dawodu by decision in what was a close fight less than two weeks ago at UFC on ESPN 51. It was a decision that stirred controversy, even getting Swanson to question the result himself.

But after getting a chance to watch it back, he agrees with the judges.

“I watched the fight, and I thought it was very close, but I definitely feel like I won the first and third round,” Swanson told MMA Junkie Radio. “Second round I’d give to him just because of basically controlling me, but he really didn’t do any damage from there.

“I was actually letting him control me because I didn’t think that anything he was doing was hurting me, and I felt like he was spending more energy than I was. So I was kind of letting him do that. But in the moment, I thought that I lost the first just because I was disappointed in what I had done, in myself. Then I thought I lost the second. So, in my mind, going into the third I was like, ‘I need to finish him.'”

Swanson, 39, knows he’s in the tail end of his career. Had he lost to Dawodu (14-3-1 MMA, 6-4 UFC), Swanson revealed that he likely would have called it a career.

“I think it’s probably safe to say that if I would have lost, I probably would have been done,” Swanson said.

While Swanson would like at least one more big fight in front of a crowd, he has to assess how his body feels first.

“I got some injuries that I need to address that I’m going to real soon here,” Swanson said. “Honestly, I’ve had this cyst on my spine that’s been causing me quite a bit of pain that I’ve been dealing with, and so I think I need to get that removed.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 51.

MMA Junkie Radio #3388: Guests Cub Swanson and Kenny Florian, UFC 292 preview, more

Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”


Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.

On Episode 3,388, the guys bring on two guest fighters: [autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag] and [autotag]Kenny Florian[/autotag]. They also look ahead at the upcoming UFC 292 pay-per-view event, and discuss the latest MMA news. Tune in!

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Judges Gonna Judge: Was Cub Swanson right to be surprised by decision win over Hakeem Dawodu?

Our panel takes a closer look at the judging in the UFC on ESPN 51 co-main event between Hakeem Dawodu and Cub Swanson.

Welcome to “Judges Gonna Judge,” where our MMA Junkie staff panel revisits the most controversial decision that occurred over the weekend.

This week, we take a closer look at the UFC on ESPN 51 co-main bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, a featherweight matchup between [autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag] and [autotag]Hakeem Dawodu[/autotag].

The fight was mostly a striking affair over 15 minutes, although there were some moments in the clinch and on the mat. The judges rendered their decision and all three scored the fight 29-28 in favor of Swanson, much to his surprise.

Considering how the fight unfolded, Swanson’s reaction as his hand was raised by the referee and his admission that he did not think he won the fight in post-fight inteviews, the judges’ decision was publicly scrutinized. Media members overwhelmingly saw the fight for Dawodu, as 11 of the 13 scores submitted on MMA Decisions were in his favor.

Official judges Ron McCarthy and Jacob Montalvo issued identical scorecards, giving Swanson the first and third rounds. Judge Sal D’Amato arrived at a 29-28 score, but he saw the second and third rounds for Swanson.

MMA Junkie’s Matthew Wells, Farah Hannoun and Mike Bohn put on their judging hats and break the fight down by each round.

If you need a refresher on the official scoring criteria before we dive in, you can check it out here.

5 biggest takeaways from UFC on ESPN 51: Is Vicente Luque no longer a violence machine? Did Cub Swanson win a robbery?

Analysis of the top storylines from UFC on ESPN 51, including Vicente Luque’s win after a brain bleed and Cub Swanson’s debatable decision.

What mattered most at UFC on ESPN 51 in Las Vegas? Here are a few post-fight musings …

UFC on ESPN 51 post-event facts: Event ties modern-era record for first-round finishes

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC on ESPN 51, which saw a record-tying number of first-round stoppage results.

The UFC returns to its home base of the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday following three weeks on the road with UFC on ESPN 51, which saw nine of 13 fights end inside the distance.

The main event was one of few that needed the judges. [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC) managed to outwork former UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] (33-15 MMA, 21-13 UFC) to a unanimous decision in the welterweight bout and used a lot of grappling to get it done.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC on ESPN 51.

UFC on ESPN 51 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Two veterans earn max non-title sum of $21,000

UFC on ESPN 51 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 51 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $173,000.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC on ESPN 51 took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 51 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Hakeem Dawodu[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Chris Daukaus[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Iasmin Lucindo[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Polyana Viana[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]AJ Dobson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Tafon Nchukwi[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Josh Fremd[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Jamie Pickett[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Marcus McGhee[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]JP Buys[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Terrance McKinney[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Mike Breeden[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Francis Marshall[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Isaac Dulgarian[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Martin Buday[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Josh Parisian[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Jaqueline Amorim[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Montserrat Conejo[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Da’Mon Blackshear[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Jose Johnson[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Luana Santos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Juliana Miller[/autotag]: $4,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,510; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $51,000 while title challengers get $51,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-51 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $5,395,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $19,984,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 51.

Cub Swanson unsure of decision win over Hakeem Dawodu: ‘In my mind, I was down two rounds’

Cub Swanson thought he lost to Hakeem Dawodu at UFC on ESPN 51.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag] isn’t too sure he should’ve had his hand raised Saturday.

The UFC featherweight thought he lost a decision to Hakeem Dawodu in the co-main event at UFC on ESPN 51, but to his surprise, he was awarded a 29-28 victory across all three judges’ scorecards.

“I’m always hard on myself,” Swanson said when asked about the decision of the fight at the UFC on ESPN 51 post-fight press conference. “I didn’t think I won the first round. Everyone in my corner said I did, and that it was an easy one to call. I thought that he picked up some steam in the second, but I know I hurt him at the end of the second.

“So in my mind, I was down two rounds, and I was like, ‘I need to push the pace.’ He was powerful, and it was taking a toll on me, but my conditioning was good, so I was just trying to stay in his face. But I was mostly just mad about myself for not being a bit more active. It was a chess match in there. It was a difficult one, but I have to watch it again. It sounds like everyone (on my team) thought I at least won two rounds, so it’s cool.”

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With the victory, Swanson (29-13 MMA, 14-9 UFC) was able to bounce back from a TKO loss to Jonathan Martinez in a failed bantamweight debut this past October.

The 39-year-old has been fighting professionally since 2004 and knows retirement is looming. As far as what’s next, Swanson has no preference. He’s just focused on doing what he loves – fighting.

“I’m close to the end,” Swanson said. “I’m just having fun at this point. That was my goal: to have some fun tonight. I’ve been fortunate to make some good money and make some investments, and I’m just trying to make sure my family is taken care of.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 51.