Home/UFC
feature-image
feature-image

A professional fighter since 2004, Cub Swanson’s name is synonymous with grit and resilience. From devastating injuries that nearly derailed his career to personal trials that tested his willpower, the veteran featherweight has shown time and again that persistence is his greatest weapon. With wins over names like Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira, and Jeremy Stephens, he’s crafted a legacy that fans can’t help but marvel at!

But the question lingers, what keeps the California native going after nearly two decades in the sport? To answer that, we need to delve deeper into the man behind the gloves—a father, a husband, and a survivor who credits his family for shaping his journey inside the cage.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

What is Cub Swanson’s ethnicity and nationality?

Cub Swanson hails from Palm Springs, California. He sure is a proud American, as he represents the flag with white, red, and blue inside the Octagon. However, his father was a Swedish-American, while his mother had her ancestry in Mexico. Therefore, it is safe to say that Swanson’s family tree extends to the Hispanic sections, too. On Instagram, he didn’t even back down from calling himself a half-breed.

Without a doubt, Swanson’s family played a major role in his career. The fighter along with his brothers, Steve and Aaron, made the decision to become professional athletes pretty early in their life. But it was the youngest sibling who stuck to the decision and earned numerous victories in martial arts.

The martial artist keeps it all simple. He splits his time between California, Indio, and his training at Albuquerque. Although the Californian fighter faced quite a bit of trouble during his younger days, he is now a respectable fighter in the UFC.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cub Swanson (@cubswanson)

A fighter’s family is their greatest supporter. Swanson, without a doubt, has found his backbone in his family. Now, let us shift our focus to the fighter’s family.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

All we know about the UFC star’s family and parents

Swanson had a pretty tough time growing up. He lost his father to melanoma when he was just three months old. His grieving mother could not handle the sorrow and fell into the trap of dr*g addiction. Owing to this, Swanson and his two brothers and two sisters were adopted by their father’s cousin. But when he was 14, his adoptive parents were divorced and he had the custody returned to his mother. Thankfully, she had recovered from her addiction. But dangers kept swaying in his direction. Swanson survived several shootings and overcame his addictions. Married to Kenda Perez, Swanson is now a family man and a father of three beautiful kids. Needless to say, the MMA fighter claims that they are the reason why he strives to excel in the Octagon.

And now, all he looks for is winning his fights. ‘Killer’s real name is Kevin Luke Swanson, however, his younger brother couldn’t say ‘Kevin’ properly and called him Cub. And it seems like the new name was lucky for the American mixed martial artist. Even though he lost his very first fight in the realm of mixed martial arts to a rear naked choke, Swanson began rolling wins after wins and went on an 11-fight win streak. The same story repeated when he stepped into the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He lost his first fight in the UFC against Ricardo Lamas and then went to claim 6 consecutive victories. Although the fighter then had ups and downs in the chart, he brought nothing but pride to the Swanson name.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Now, Cub Swanson’s 25th UFC appearance is not just another tally in the record books—it’s a testament to a fighter’s unyielding spirit. At UFC Tampa/UFC on ESPN 63, Swanson will be taking on fellow veteran, Billy Quarantillo. In an interview with UFC.com, Swanson shared, “He fights at a pace that I like. He’s going to come forward, unlike my last fight, and I feel like he’s good standing and on the ground. So am I… I think he just turned 36, so he’s welcome to the senior division in the UFC with me.”

So, the fans can expect nothing less than a gritty, high-paced battle, one that has the potential to further cement his place as one of the sport’s most enduring and entertaining fighters. Will Cub Swanson’s persistence outlast his opponent’s resolve? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT