Top 109 Quotes & Sayings by Cub Swanson

Explore popular quotes and sayings by an American mixed martial artist Cub Swanson.
Last updated on November 22, 2024.
Cub Swanson

Kevin Luke Swanson, known professionally as Cub Swanson, is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Featherweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional since 2004, Swanson holds the most post-fight bonus awards in division history with eight, including his WEC tenure he has been awarded "Fight of the Night" honors ten times.

The thing is, I've had many tough fights in my career, all for different reasons. So I think all those together is what makes me the fighter I am now. The biggest fight I've ever had is against myself - whether to give up or not.
Just give me the big fights and pay me to show up and let me do my thing, and I'll go home and hang out with my family and do my thing.
When I was super young, and everybody who has been in fan of mine from the WEC days, I was just tough as nails, fearless and that's what made me tick. I'm not those things anymore. I'm fearless, but I plan ahead. I'm strategic. I'm smarter, and I'm just a different person than I was.
I want to test myself. — © Cub Swanson
I want to test myself.
In my whole career, I've never fought for a belt, so that's something that I would like to do, or at least have the opportunity to do.
I walk around about 175-180 pounds, and get up to about 185.
You almost need somebody to say, look, another day, in boxing that happens all the time. The coaches will say I'll give you one more round, if it looks the same I'm not going to allow you to keep going out and taking damage.
All these tough times that I've had in my career, I've just been able to prove that I can persevere and to me that means everything.
You should be who you are and not be somebody you're not.
I like to stand and bang.
I'm a fan of many fighters but as soon as they start looking at me, the fighter in me comes out and I'm like, 'You better watch your damn mouth.'
I think that one thing that I've prided myself on is that tough situations make for tougher people and that was one of my goals as well getting into this sport, I wanted to be a tougher human. I wanted to be a tougher man and basically when I had kids I'd be able to be like a superhero to them, and I feel like I'm accomplishing that.
Footwork isn't something you hear people talk about too much but it's something as fighters we have to be able to utilize.
I'm not the biggest media guy, I just like to fight. — © Cub Swanson
I'm not the biggest media guy, I just like to fight.
I think money isn't everything.
I understand I'm an entertainer and a fighter as well.
I'm fast and I move well so I know how to come in at weird angles and keep my feet under me. I'm looking for that power shot and I might not be able to fire off anything after it if my feet aren't under me. Footwork is a huge part of my game.
Being the more experienced fighter absolutely gives you added confidence.
The younger generation of fighters, they want to try to make a name for themselves. They want to be something that they're not.
I know I'm not trying to fight past 40 so I'd like to get in as many as I can and keep the train moving.
When you're on a win streak, your confidence is high, and it means everything in your camp has been working and it means you're on the right track.
I don't beg.
I definitely think that a lot of these fighters should be taken care of long-term. But I feel like we're in that kind of situation where it's, like, the early NFL players. We're the ones that kind of set the standard, and then the next generation are probably going to get all the benefits from us growing the sport.
I can fight a lot of different ways. I'm pretty crafty.
I realize that I put my body through a lot, but I've always thought at the same time if I was a plumber or any kind of worker in that industry, which a lot of people that I grew up with are, I would imagine that their bodies feel the same, their backs are wrecked.
If I fight that fight that makes everybody go, 'Wow, he's unstoppable,' - that's all I can do.
This sport definitely saved my life. I was messing up and headed in the wrong direction. I was never a bad kid or anything like that. I just, you know, like many people, just kind of wanted to rebel and to do something different.
I'm not one of the guys who talks a lot, I don't enjoy that, I've always believed in just going out there and putting on the best show possible.
We all know what it's like to have the ups and downs in this sport.
I'm not going to shy away from a brawl.
When you treat your career early on really crappy, you can't expect to be in a good position. That's just the way pro fighting is.
I'm just not going to let anybody build their name off of me.
I think the criticism Coach Greg Jackson gets is ridiculous and it makes me angry.
I don't want a broken jaw again.
I love fighting for the UFC, it's been awesome for me.
I have so many plans inside and outside the Octagon.
Every fight I'm excited to get out there and do better. I put a lot of pressure on myself to go out there and be better.
I think my speed and awkwardness is hard to deal with for any fighter.
I decided to pursue MMA after training Brazilian jiu-jitsu for about a year and seeing my first fight. I told myself, that looks scary but I think I could do that. — © Cub Swanson
I decided to pursue MMA after training Brazilian jiu-jitsu for about a year and seeing my first fight. I told myself, that looks scary but I think I could do that.
I think fighters for a long time, were afraid to pull out of fights for many reasons. Like sitting on the shelf for a long time due to not having as many fight cards back then. Feeling like a wuss, disappointing the boss and fans, or just needing the money.
I feel like my work speaks for itself.
When I think less and just go out there and perform, I do my best work.
I feel like when the public, when the fans are ready to see me fight for the title, whoever they want to see me fight, then that's what I need to do cause that's my job.
I want people to know that anyone, from anywhere, can make it as far as they want, as long if they are willing to do what it takes.
I think many fighters could go pro in another sport. When it really boils down to it, it's because we are the best athletes in the world.
It is very important I live up to my own expectations as far as popularity and knowing that I left my mark on the sport.
If you want to be the best, sometimes you get the raw end of the deal. It's life.
As a fighter, your hands are always hurting.
I always thought I would make it as a professional athlete but I thought it would be playing soccer. — © Cub Swanson
I always thought I would make it as a professional athlete but I thought it would be playing soccer.
I've got so much respect for the Gracie family and all they did for the sport.
I believe the UFC knows I'm capable of fighting the top guys and that I'm willing to take them all on.
I've always trained hard and I've never slacked.
You look at my fight with Holloway, I don't even tell my corner I broke my hand and I broke my jaw and I fought three rounds. That's just what I do, in my mind I'm thinking I can still win this, I can still win this. That's your thing is to never give up.
My passion is with the UFC.
I've always believed that fighters owe the fans a show. I'm a fighter and my job is to beat the man in front of me, but, I want to do it in a way that is memorable to people.
Tough times not only make you stronger, but you grow from those experiences. The same is true with fighting. You have to lean into it.
Digging down and finding out where your head is at when a fight is about to come, I used to get to a dark place and that's not really a place I want to go anymore. I got kids, I enjoy my life and I'm having a good time. I don't feel like I need to go there anymore.
For a little while I kind of shunned away from the media and just concentrated on my skill sets and performing and I got that down.
If I never fought for the belt, it wouldn't bother me. That whole song and dance gets tiring, and it's a lot of playing favorites. I've just had it dangled in front of me so many times, I'm just like, whatever, man.
My goal in this sport is to be the best version of myself that I can be.
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