Cub Swanson Talks Giving Back, Warns Artem Lobov

Cub Swanson Talks Giving Back, Warns Artem Lobov

UFC featherweight star Cub Swanson talks giving back and blasts upcoming opponent Artem Lobov.

Feb 21, 2017 by Duane Finley
Cub Swanson Talks Giving Back, Warns Artem Lobov
The fight game is one of opportunity and Cub Swanson has experienced mixed martial arts from all angles.

The SoCal representative began as a hungry prospect trying to make good when a chance meeting with Joe Stevenson changed his life and drastically altered his path through the sport. Fast forward 13 years and "Killer Cub" is one of the top featherweight fighters in the game with a wealth of notable victories and highlight reel finishes on his resume.

Nevertheless, while Swanson may have forged a successful career out of humble beginnings, that hasn't stopped him from giving back to the fighters who are currently standing where he once stood. The perennial featherweight contender is passionate about providing a platform where up-and-coming talent from the Coachella Valley area can grow and flourish under his guidance.

Swanson knows from his own experience coming up in the game how crucial the passing down of knowledge can be, but the fighter on the receiving end of the lesson must be fully invested in order for the process to continue.

"All I ever do is try to give them opportunities," Swanson told FloCombat. "I tell them, 'I'm going to be here doing this thing and if you want to do it too you're more than welcome. If you're going to wuss out then don't show up.' It's very simple: If you are going to put in the hard work then I want you around me. If not then bye. I just don't have time for it. If you show me that you are willing then I'm more than willing to bring you on board."

When it comes to his own work and his personal mission, Swanson is as focused as can be found in the 145-pound ranks.

The 33-year-old Palm Springs native rebounded from a tough 2015 to run the table last year by defeating three tough competitors inside the Octagon. The most recent of which came in a "Fight of the Year" worthy scrap against Doo Ho Choi at UFC 206 in Toronto. Swanson and the "Korean Superboy" went toe-to-toe for 15 grueling minutes and put on one of the craziest dogfights in recent memory.

The end result was Swanson picking up his third straight victory, and positioning himself for a title run in 2017. In order to accomplish his goal he'll have to continue knocking off tough competition, and he already has another opponent in his sights in Artem Lobov.

Conor McGregor's teammate will face the talented striker in the main event at UFC Fight Night 108 in Nashville, TN. on April 22. Lobov called out Swanson on social media and asked the UFC to make the matchup, and Swanson was more than happy to oblige. Even though the fight is now official, "The Russian Hammer" has continued to blast Swanson on Twitter and other platforms, but Swanson isn't bothered in the slightest.

He knows his opportunity to shut Lobov up once for all is rapidly approaching, and used his time with FloCombat to send a stern warning to the SBG Ireland fighter. Swanson let it be known he's looking at their main event tilt as if it's the most crucial bout of his life, and threw a touch of shade in regard to Lobov's Russian heritage.

"My motivation is to give the fans the best version of Killer Cub yet," Swanson said. "I'm training for this fight as if it's the biggest fight of my life. He may have a small portion of Europe behind him, but I have the rest of the world behind me...including the Russian fans."