Cub Swanson: If Jose Aldo Moves Up, I’ll Take Chad Mendes Any Day
(Dennis Siver’s German efficiency was no match for Swanson’s agressive rendition of a popular village people song)
Cub Swanson has been making his name in the UFC Featherweight division in convincing fashion since signing with the promotion in 2011. After a debut loss to Ricardo Lamas, he quickly elevated his status in the organization with three straight T/KO wins over George Roop, Ross Pearson and Charles Oliveira.
After back-to-back barnburners against Dustin Poirer and Denis Siver, Swanson finds himself 5-0 for the UFC. Many felt like Swanson may have been more deserving of the shot than Lamas, and now there is surely no question of Swanson’s legitimacy at 145.
‘Beautiful Destruction’ stopped by to chat with Bloody Elbow recently to discuss his status in the FW class, check it out:
“I don’t know where I go from here, to be honest. I’ve been having to answer the ‘Hey, when’s your next fight?’ thing for seven months, and I just keep saying that I don’t know. Lamas got offered fights, but he was the one that said no to them. I’ve been asking for fights with the people that have been calling me out, and they say ‘That doesn’t make sense’ and to wait. I just want to fight, and that’s what I told Dana after the press conference.”
An added twist to the story is Aldo’s recent increase in stock, and subsequent links to a super fight with 155lb. boss Anthony Pettis. Frankie Edgar is still in the mix at Featherweight, but if Aldo vacates it is looking like a bout between Chad Mendes and Swanson will decide the new champ.
“I was pretty…I don’t want to say irritated, but they kept telling me after this fight they’d have an answer. Now, with all this superfight talk, it’s all on Aldo and it’s kind of frustrating. I’d like some answers. If he’s going to stay or go, just do it already, so the rest of us can figure this out. If Jose doesn’t want to be here, I’ll take Chad any day. I want the big fights. If I had my preference, though, it would be Aldo.”
Mendes has already challenged at Aldo’s title and lost at UFC 142, and has similarly gone on a five fight tear with four T/KO’s and one decision win. Logic would tell you that if Aldo stays then Swanson will get the shot, ‘Scarface’ goes and it will be ‘Money’/Swanson for the strap.
If Aldo loses at 155, then he would face the winner of the theoretical Mendes vs. Swanson fight. The landscape of the Featherweight division could be about to undergo a huge alteration, for the first time in a while.
“If I was him, I’d just go. We’re all guys that want to challenge ourselves and be the best in the world. That’s why people love Randy Couture and B.J. Penn; they sought challenges in different weight classes to be the best in the world. Dominating one weight class makes you a badass in the sport, but if you want to be a legend, you have to go to different weight classes and be dominant there, too.”
Whatever the case, Swanson looks to be on course for a shot at glory. I’m sure he’d love the opportunity to avenge his double-knee KO loss that Aldo gave him at WEC 41, and also the decision loss he suffered against Mendes at WEC 50. The question is how much has Swanson evolved in the time since?
Banner photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea USA Today Sports
