Cub Swanson Present At UFC 169, Thinks He’s ‘Definitely The Favorite’ For Next FW Title Shot

Surging No. 4-ranked UFC featherweight Cub Swanson has been on the shelf battling an elbow injury ever since his TKO finish of Dennis Siver at last July’s UFC 162. The win gave Swanson his fifth straight in a row, putting him ever so close to a coveted title shot.

That shot may be coming soon, as Swanson will be present at tonight’s blockbuster UFC 169 event from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. There, longtime UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo will defend his belt against No. 2 contender Ricardo Lamas. Swanson told MMA Junkie that while nothing has been confirmed, there has to be a reason for him to be there:

“They brought me out, so that must say something. I think I’m definitely the favorite, but they haven’t given me any confirmation on me being the next in line. I’m hoping for it, and I know the fans want to see it, so we’ll see what happens.”

There’s no doubt that Swanson’s recent track record is deserving of being the next title contender at 145 pounds. However, there are a few major factors that are working against him in this situation. Swanson has losses to Aldo, Lamas, and current No. 1-ranked featherweight Chad Mendes on his record.

With Mendes on a five-fight win streak of his own, it’s hard to say if Swanson will bypass “Money” for the next shot at featherweight gold. There’s an outside chance that neither of them get the next title fight if Lamas pulls off a huge upset tonight. That would most likely mean that Aldo will get an immediate rematch barring any unforeseen injuries, and deservedly so.

But with Swanson knocking on the door and the UFC requesting his presence at tonight’s featherweight title tilt, a huge opportunity could be in the cards for the WEC vet. Can Swanson capitalize and rise to his ultimate goal?