UFC Featherweight Cub Swanson (19-5) continues to move his name up the UFC rankings and inches closer and closer to a possible rematch against reigning UFC Featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo. With former UFC Lightweight Champ Frankie Edgar calling out Swanson, things are heating up in the 145-lb. division.Fresh off a decision win over Dustin Poirier at UFC on FUEL TV 7, Swanson knows his star is on the rise. The Jackson-Winklejohn MMA trained fighter has won four straight and has two Knockout of the Night honors in that stretch. When Swanson joined MMA Fight Corner on Tuesday night, he said a switch in mentality has been what's put him back on the winning track.
"Just confidence and maturity and really just everything coming together. For so long I was trying to change my game and improve, and when you make huge changes in your game, not everything goes smooth. So it's a lot of trial and error. I'd have an opportunity and I'd have a good performance, and then after that I'd have a setback, and all my progress would get in a rut and it'd be very hard to have a flow." Cub said. "And now everything's just smooth."
After Swanson defeated Poirier, Frankie Edgar went on to call out Swanson for a five round fight. Edgar is coming off his third consecutive loss in a title fight. He fought Benson Henderson twice at lightweight – the first time he lost his title, the second fight was a rematch. Then he dropped to featherweight and challenged Aldo at UFC 156 and lost via unanimous decision. As far as facing Edgar next, Cub said he's game, but that there's no need to have a 25 minute fight.
"I mean, Frankie's an awesome fighter and that's a very interesting fight to me. But like I said before, I'm not in high school and I'm not gonna fight anybody who calls me out. I work very hard to get to where I'm at and I'm going to take whoever the UFC feels is the next best step for me. If it's Frankie cool. If it's not, then whatever."
Swanson had the opportunity to watch Edgar challenge Aldo at UFC 156 in February. While Aldo set the pace in the early rounds of the fight, Swanson said Edgar turned it up in the later rounds which is why he thinks Edgar asked for a five rounder against him.
"I was impressed. I mean, he comes on strong at the end. I feel like that's why he specifically asked for five rounds against me, which I think is silly to ask for a five round fight unless it's a title fight."
"Just confidence and maturity and really just everything coming together. For so long I was trying to change my game and improve, and when you make huge changes in your game, not everything goes smooth. So it's a lot of trial and error. I'd have an opportunity and I'd have a good performance, and then after that I'd have a setback, and all my progress would get in a rut and it'd be very hard to have a flow." Cub said. "And now everything's just smooth."
After Swanson defeated Poirier, Frankie Edgar went on to call out Swanson for a five round fight. Edgar is coming off his third consecutive loss in a title fight. He fought Benson Henderson twice at lightweight – the first time he lost his title, the second fight was a rematch. Then he dropped to featherweight and challenged Aldo at UFC 156 and lost via unanimous decision. As far as facing Edgar next, Cub said he's game, but that there's no need to have a 25 minute fight.
"I mean, Frankie's an awesome fighter and that's a very interesting fight to me. But like I said before, I'm not in high school and I'm not gonna fight anybody who calls me out. I work very hard to get to where I'm at and I'm going to take whoever the UFC feels is the next best step for me. If it's Frankie cool. If it's not, then whatever."
Swanson had the opportunity to watch Edgar challenge Aldo at UFC 156 in February. While Aldo set the pace in the early rounds of the fight, Swanson said Edgar turned it up in the later rounds which is why he thinks Edgar asked for a five rounder against him.
"I was impressed. I mean, he comes on strong at the end. I feel like that's why he specifically asked for five rounds against me, which I think is silly to ask for a five round fight unless it's a title fight."