The last thing you would expect from a winner would be to doubt that victory. However, Cub Swanson is surprisingly doing just that after Saturday’s win. Swanson faced off against Hakeem Dawodu in the co-main event at UFC on ESPN 51. Moreover, the fighter was under the impression that he was fighting a losing battle. However, to his surprise, he got his hand raised via a 29-28 victory across all three scoreboards.
So why did the fighter misunderstand his standing in the bout? Continue reading to find out!
Swanson shared his thoughts at the UFC on ESPN 51 post-fight press conference, revealing that he tends to be pretty hard on himself. He didn’t think he had the first round in the bag, although his corner strongly believed he did and found it an easy call. Swanson felt his opponent gaining momentum in the second round but managed to land a good shot toward the end of that round.
In his own evaluation, Swanson believed he was down by two rounds, which fueled his determination to ramp up the pace. Despite his opponent’s power, Swanson’s conditioning held up, enabling him to keep the pressure on. His main frustration was with himself for not being more active. The fight played out like a chess match, making it a challenging one. He acknowledged the need to rewatch the fight, finding comfort in the fact that his team thought he won at least two rounds, which was a positive takeaway.
Following his victory, Swanson made a strong comeback from a TKO loss during his unsuccessful bantamweight debut against Jonathan Martinez back in October.
Having been in the professional fighting game since 2004, the 39-year-old is well aware that retirement is on the horizon. Regarding what comes next, Swanson doesn’t have any specific preference – he’s simply focused on pursuing what he loves, which is fighting.
He openly admitted that he was approaching the end of his fighting career. Right now, it’s all about enjoying the experience. His primary aim for the recent fight was to have a good time. He’s been fortunate with his earnings and investments, and his main focus is on ensuring his family’s well-being.
Considering his recent performance, what do you think his future as a fighter will look like? Share your predictions in the comments!
