It's a breezy night in the fading moments of the Spring season and downtown Palm Springs is downright electric.

The sidewalks are packed with partygoers and bystanders alike, all reveling in the festivities that have taken the Southern California outpost by storm. Music is blaring from every pub and eatery up and down Palm Canyon Drive, and the celebratory vibes are strong.

The smile on Cub Swanson's face is a dead giveaway that he too is enjoying life in the moment.

"This is a prime spot for people watching," Swanson says giving a look and a laugh to a band of people walking up the way.

Not only was he correct in that particular moment, but it was entertainment that would extend well into the late night hours. Swanson's smile would remain visible throughout the entire sitting.

He was in his element--a place he was proud to represent--and the energy pulsing through the streets brought him comfort.

Several weeks earlier he outworked a game Dustin Poirier in a hard-fought scrap across the Atlantic that should have put him even closer to a title shot he'd been in heavy pursuit of. But it didn't, and even that reality wasn't enough to sour his mood.

Any random individual sitting in his vicinity may have though Swanson the mayor of Palm Springs because one after another well wishers approached him to pass on their encouragement.

"Bring that belt home, brother!" one middle aged man said upon approach, then repeated so many times it broke Swanson's crew into laughter. All but Cub that is, as he took the time to engage with every individual who felt compelled to reach out.



Two hours later, after the crowd milling up and down the street began to thin, Swanson decided to call it a night. Walking the four blocks to get back to his car, Swanson dropped the easy going vibe and locked in on his own ambitions for a bit.

"I'm feeling more confident than ever before," Swanson said. "I can feel things clicking in a way I always knew I was capable of but just couldn't seem to put together. I know it's my time to make a run at that title, but I don't know what I need to do to earn the UFC's respect. I kind of feel that's out of my control so all I can do is keep winning fights and they have to give it to me."

Four months later Swanson would demolish Dennis Siver at UFC 162 in Las Vegas in a virtuoso performance that earned Fight of the Night honors and notched his fifth consecutive victory, yet no title shot was granted.

He would face and defeat Jeremy Stephens in his next showing with the same result. No phone call or conversation putting Swanson into the title bout he'd long coveted, only more questions and a creeping sense of doubt that a championship opportunity would ever come.



Outside of featherweight king Jose Aldo, Swanson was riding the longest winning streak in the division and had toppled tough competition every step of the way. And while his success was good enough to elevate his profile and silence the critics who said his massive potential would never be fulfilled, it just wasn't good enough to put him over the proverbial hump.

Good enough for whom? The answer to that question is one Swanson would never receive clarity on, and knowing that only thickened the web.

For everything his talent accomplished Swanson was certain his time would come, but two years from that night he served as a tour guide in Palm Springs his place in the title conversation would vanish.

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It is a different Cub Swanson who has returned to stalk the featherweight ranks.

Gone is the frustration and doubt, and its place determination flows in abundance. Swanson is no longer seeking something beyond his control, instead, he's taking every step with precision and intention.

The road back started with Hacran Dias at UFC on Fox 19, and that night in South Florida Swanson reminded the MMA world what the "Killer Cub" tag is all about.



"I was pretty happy I shut [Dias] game down and fought my fight," Swanson said. "I wish I would have opened up a bit more, but I know I can do that moving forward. I was able to showcase my submission and takedown defense I had been working on and really shut down his game. Making him feel helpless out there was what I wanted to do, and being able to do so made me happy.

"I definitely felt back in my groove. I made a plan to go out and show improvements in certain areas and I accomplished that. I believe that is the important thing about growing and moving forward, and that's much easier to do when you are winning. It can be hard to keep faith in those things when fights aren't going your way, but I've never been a guy to quit when the going gets tough."

The momentum created in his victory over Dias reignited Swanson's love for the battle that comes with fighting his way up the divisional rankings. Getting back into the win column reenergized Swanson, and he was eager to keep things rolling on the comeback trail.

So much in fact when the UFC called and offered him a bout with Tatsuya Kawajiri in Salt Lake City, Swanson wasted no time signing on the dotted line to make it official.

"I had been ready and wanting to fight, but it was a bit closer than I'd like because I like to wrap my head around the opponent I'm fighting, but I'm always game so I said 'Let's do it.' Kawajiri has a good name and he's been around forever. At this point in my career this fight makes sense."



Should Swanson defeat Kawajiri on Saturday night the conversation that once consumed him will inevitably return. The MMA media will write their articles and fight fans will take to social media and try to determine Swanson's place in the heated featherweight title picture.

And while that's all well and good, Swanson will not pay mind to a drop of it.

He's been through that ringer once before, and coming out on the other side of elevated expectation and empty promises has made him a much wiser man in the here and now. Swanson's focus is fixed on his path and the obstacle that sits directly ahead of him, and everything else is simply everything else.

"I can compartmentalize that stuff now because all of that title talk and what could be is all a false sense of hype," Swanson said. "It just wears you out, man. You go out there and win fights, and wait for this thing you think is coming to you and it never materializes. It puts you on this emotional roller coaster and it's all so draining. I don't think about those things at all anymore.

"All I want to do is win my fights, travel a little bit, enjoy my life and get onto the next one. I have a lot of great things happening in my life outside of fighting that has me motivated on the task at hand. I put my energy into things I can control and keep things moving where my energy isn't wasted

"The biggest thing for me is to get wins back and those wins need to come against ranked opponents," he added. "The UFC preferred I fight someone I hadn't fought before, and that is kind of tough because I've fought pretty much everyone in my division. It's on me to win those fights and make sure when things are all said and done I'm standing right there near the top."



Setbacks breed disappointment and sustained disappointment brings doubt. Back-to-back losses took Swanson to a place where he began to question whether or not the profession he'd dedicated his adult life to was still worth the effort required to continue. Simply put: Swanson was battered and exhausted in every sense.

Yet, where the 32-year-old once stood looking into the mirror and mining deep into himself looking for a reason to continue fighting, he now looks outward with a panoramic view and grateful for everything his hard work has produced.

"I've been stubborn my entire life," Swanson said. "My family will vouch for that. My mom used to get tickets because she would put me in a carseat and I would decide I didn't want to be there and wiggle my way out and be right there standing next to her. If I set my mind on something I'm going to get there. I can get knocked down, but I'm going to get right back up and get after it.

"Some champions are better than others. Just to say someone is a champion doesn't mean the same thing across the board. That term can be thrown around loosely and all I can do is make sure I'm my best self. When I retire I gave it my all and I was the best I could be. It doesn't make sense for me to compare myself to another fighter when I'm looking at my growth and where I came from.

"It's so important to enjoy the journey," he added. "I used to be consumed by my goals that I couldn't appreciate what I was accomplishing. You have to take the time to enjoy what's going on because nothing lasts forever."

Swanson's blood, sweat and tenacity have made him one of the most successful fighters to have ever competed under the Zuffa banner, but those same attributes have allowed him to find traction beyond the cage as well.

As much as Swanson loves testing himself against another talented and dangerous human being inside the Octagon, he's found the same thrill in the business realm.



"Being around people smarter than myself who reminded me I need to make sure I'm set up for the life that comes when fighting is done," Swanson said. "This career isn't going to last forever, and it's scary to think about those things, but that's reality. My manager and I have put together plans and I'm excited for everything I have going on.

"By no means am I done with fighting, but it's a good feeling to know I have a lot going in my favor because of the moves I've made business wise. I used to get my paycheck from fighting and be grateful I could breathe for a few months without being stressed, but now because of my other endeavors I have the ability to have some peace of mind.

"I love the excitement and work that goes into being a businessman," he added. "It's a lot like fighting where you come up with a game plan, and your ability to execute dictates your success. Fighting inside the cage is still very much building my future, but I'd be lying if I didn't say the new path I'm on outside of MMA is reenergizing. I love everything I have going on in my life and I've worked hard for all of it."

Of all the lessons learned throughout his personal journey, perhaps the most poignant is the growth that comes from enduring the struggle. Swanson has come to realize just how much his fan base appreciates his willingness to connect, and he takes pride in being a positive figure in a sport where role models can be hard to find.

Swanson thrives on the connection he has with the passionate MMA community, and admits he feeds off their energy just as much as they do his.

"It's been great to know I'm inspiring people," Swanson said. "When I first started posting motivational messages awhile back it was a way to not feel sorry for myself when things weren't going my way. I used it for personal motivation, but over the years I've received so many messages from people saying how much I've inspired them.

"I think that's awesome because I always want to give back. I want to use my visibility as a professional athlete to put positive things out into the world and have an impact on people's lives. They can see my struggles and share my successes with me and that's a good feeling to know I can help people."

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Two years have passed since that windy night in the Coachella Valley, but the same smile Swanson carried walking down the sidewalk in Palm Springs is still holding strong. The only difference now is that he won't let things beyond his control affect just how long his happiness lasts.

Swanson is living his life--inside the cage and beyond--on his own terms, and he's battled through the darkness to earn it. That type of education can only be learned through adversity, and his ability to endure has made Swanson a man titles can't define.

He's simply himself, and being at the helm of his own destiny is right where Swanson wanted to be all along.