It had somehow been nearly two full years since Cub Swanson won inside the Octagon, but on Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 161 in Tampa, Fla., the fan favorite made a long-awaited return to the win column.
Swanson (26-11) went to war with Kron Gracie, the son of Rickson Gracie who entered their featherweight encounter unbeaten and favored to win. Though Swanson is more than capable on the canvas, the notion was that he might not survive the grappling prowess of a young, highly-touted Gracie. Whether or not that was fully Swanson’s plan might never be known, but the Californian made sure Gracie would have to fight on his feet.