Cub Swanson considers offer from UFC, others as he eyes next fight

[TCE]

INDIO, Calif. – The UFC has extended an offer to Cub Swanson to renew his expired contract, but Swanson is still meeting with other fight companies to weigh his options, he told The Desert Sun this past weekend.

Swanson (25-8 MMA, 10-4 UFC) chose to fight last month without renewing his deal with the UFC because he didn’t feel the offer represented the hard work he’s put into his career and the success that has come as a result.

Swanson, 34, won the 2016 UFC “Fight of the Year” and had a four-fight winning streak before losing by submission against unbeaten Brian Ortega in the main event of UFC Fight Night 123 last December in Fresno, Calif.

Afterward, Swanson said he ran into UFC President Dana White, and that White told him, “Let’s get a deal done.” UFC came back with a little more money than it was initially offering to Swanson, but he said he will not make a decision until every offer is on the table.

“I can’t make a decision until I know what the other offers are,” Swanson said at the Indio Boys & Girls Club following a workout.

It’s unclear how much the UFC pays its fighters, because the records are not public, but very few make the hundreds of thousands or millions per fight that the sports’ elite stars have made.

The way Swanson sees it, there are pros and cons to leaving and staying with the UFC. He said other companies typically offer guaranteed purses, win or lose, and that is appealing to someone who is looking out for his financial future. Purses in the UFC vary greatly, depending on the outcome of the fight.

On the other hand, though, the UFC is a known company that will undoubtedly be around a long time, and that cannot necessarily be said for every fight promotion.

“Not many big players stay around all that long,” said Swanson, who met with one company about a contract as recently as last Thursday evening.

Swanson said he is still in “great” shape following his last fight, that he didn’t take more than a few days off during the holiday season and wants to sign a contract and fight again as soon as possible.

He also said he’s re-watched his fight with Ortega and is left with a bitter feeling, because he believes he was cruising to a win and got overconfident and put himself into an unfavorable position that allowed Ortega to end the fight abruptly.

“I should have just avoided it altogether,” Swanson said. “He would have been done. I had him on punches but gave him an opportunity, and he took it.”

So Swanson has been in the gym most days since losing the fight, waiting to have all of his options in front of him before he makes a decision, signs a contract and gets back into the octagon for what he hopes will be some redemption.

“The negotiations, it’s not about having fancy cars or anything,” Swanson said. “It’s about having financial stability for my family’s future. That’s it.”

More: http://mmajunkie.com/2018/01/cub-swanson-ufc-contract-offer-next-fight

 

[Theproof]

Go to Bellator. UFC is a sinking ship. Bellator is the future of MMA and it's obvious.

 

[Mixfight]

Time for Cab "Driver" Swanson to hang them up IMO.

 

[kevinramsdell]

I'm sure he stays but I wouldn't be surprised if he went elsewhere. He won't be getting a title shot anytime soon. Cub is at an elite level but can't seem to bridge the gap between the title fight he's been chasing. Cub just can't seem to win the fight that matters most, kind of like Michael Bisping until he got that 2nd Rockhold fight.

 

[Joseph_McBride]

Cub vs Yair or Zombie or even Elkins. Every potential Cub fight is fun on paper

 

[Squall10]

Cub vs Freire. Freire wins easy.

 

[Kumason]

I'm sure he stays but I wouldn't be surprised if he went elsewhere. He won't be getting a title shot anytime soon. Cub is at an elite level but can't seem to bridge the gap between the title fight he's been chasing. Cub just can't seem to win the fight that matters most, kind of like Michael Bisping until he got that 2nd Rockhold fight.

Yeah but Cub made 218K vs Lobov 146K vs Ortega in a losing effort.Where is he going to make money like that?Possibly Bellator but I seriously doubt it,he's not that big of a name.

 

[PeterGriffin]

I hope he stays, there's still some good fights there for him, but I have no problems with him shopping around or at least not jumping at the UFC's offer immediately.

 

[kevinramsdell]

Yeah but Cub made 218K vs Lobov 146K vs Ortega in a losing effort.Where is he going to make money like that?Possibly Bellator but I seriously doubt it,he's not that big of a name.

Ehhh well if you look into it he only makes 74k to show 74k to win. 20k off Reebok sponser. I would disagree actually I think he is a big name. He's headlined plenty of fight night cards. He for sure deserves to make at least 100k show money. He had the fight of the year in 2016. This is a guy who puts on entertaining fights And is a veteran of the sport. And on top of that Bellator could match the offer from UFC but offer more freedom in sponsors as well as what he can do outside of the promotion.

 

[007]

If Cub wants a belt it won't be with the UFC so he is on his way to Bellator

 

[VinceArch]

Plenty of fights left for Cub in the UFC but I think this last fight he had might've been his last chance at staking a claim for the title.

 

[High Altitude]

He will stay.

Just winning a couple in a row in the UFC can change everything for the better dramatically, especially if you are cub who already has a good reputation in the sport.

 

[UL]

Go to Bellator. UFC is a sinking ship. Bellator is the future of MMA and it's obvious.

ufc is dying

leave

 

[Ozze]

Cub is very well paid in the UFC.

I doubt some other company would match that.

 

[Krixes]

He should go to Bellator. He'll always be a journeymen guy in the UFC. He's a good fighter, but not good enough to win a belt in the UFC.

 

[Arkridge]

He lost most of his negotiating power in that loss to Ortega. If he won he'd likely get a title shot and huge bump in pay for fighting for the title, now that he doesn't have that, no way he gets paid what he wants.

Off to Bellator for a fight with Pitbull, which will be fuckin' awesome.

 

[RichardN7]

I'm sure he stays but I wouldn't be surprised if he went elsewhere. He won't be getting a title shot anytime soon. Cub is at an elite level but can't seem to bridge the gap between the title fight he's been chasing. Cub just can't seem to win the fight that matters most, kind of like Michael Bisping until he got that 2nd Rockhold fight.

Yeah, but he has opportunities ahead. A drop to 135 as he’s one of the smaller FWs.
Cub vs TJ or Rivera or Cody, etc would be amazing.
Fights at 145 with Aldo (perfect time for a rematch right now) or prospects like Rodriguez are also fun ideas.

 

[Kumason]

Ehhh well if you look into it he only makes 74k to show 74k to win. 20k off Reebok sponser. I would disagree actually I think he is a big name. He's headlined plenty of fight night cards. He for sure deserves to make at least 100k show money. He had the fight of the year in 2016. This is a guy who puts on entertaining fights And is a veteran of the sport. And on top of that Bellator could match the offer from UFC but offer more freedom in sponsors as well as what he can do outside of the promotion.

I don't disagree with some of your post,I think he should make 100K a fight too and could possibly get matched by Bellator (I doubt it)but this guy is a bonus machine.Guys with much bigger names have started in Bellator at 50k a fight like Benson Henderson getting 50K a fight and not on a payscale.

So idk about him getting matched but it is possible,I also don't think his name will warrant 100k from Bellator.People overrate what Bellator pays and they care more about names then exciting fighters/lots of potential,that's hard to argue.I doubt he'd get near the same actually now that I think of it but it's possible.The whole grass is always greener on the other side.Also people really overrate the sponsors thing.

 

[tithas]

Go to Bellator. UFC is a sinking ship. Bellator is the future of MMA and it's obvious.

with declining ratings and no homemade stars. The presidents claim to fame is killing the last promotion he ran. Outlook looks great........

 

[linvillegorge]

He's reaching the point in his career when he should probably take the biggest money offer available. I get a younger guy maybe taking less money to go to the biggest show to set himself up down the road but the only thing Cub is setting up at this point is life after fighting.