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Cub Swanson: Portrait Of A Beloved, Respected Fighter

A Candid Profile Of A Veteran Standout That Is Constantly Looking To Give Back To The Sport And Its Fans

Standing in the Octagon following his decision win over Hakeem Dawodu last August, Cub Swanson fought back tears.

He was unsure he’d done enough to merit the nod over his Canadian opponent, but, more than anything, the veteran featherweight was wrestling with the mix of emotions that come with holding yourself to a lofty standard and giving everything of yourself time and again in an effort to live up to them.

“I’ll admit I was having some tough times backstage because I knew I was ready, I was just afraid of performing, and I literally was in tears backstage,” said Swanson, who returns to action this weekend against fellow all-action featherweight Andre “Touchy” Fili as part of the UFC 303 preliminary card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.