Swanson awaiting offers from other outfits before deciding future
A month into free agency, Cub Swanson is keeping his options open.
The featherweight fan favorite has fielded an offer to re-up with the UFC since fighting out his contract with the promotion in a submission loss to Brian Ortega at UFC Fight Night 123 in December, but as he told Andrew L. John of The Desert Sun this past weekend, Swanson aims to meet with other fight factories before making his next move.
"I can’t make a decision until I know what the other offers are," he said.
Swanson opted to gamble and see his contract through after negotiations with the UFC - which typically begin ahead of the final bout on a fighter's deal - didn't produce a satisfactory offer, nor a guarantee of a long-elusive title shot with a win over Ortega. UFC president Dana White witnessed Swanson's loss to Ortega in person and voiced his intention to re-sign the longtime company man postfight, but while the promotion has reportedly offered him a pay bump, Swanson isn't in a hurry to sign on the dotted line.
Now several months into fatherhood, Swanson's top priority is "financial stability" and joining an outfit that guarantees fight purses, as opposed to the UFC's often bonus-dependent pay structure. That said, the 34-year-old - who reportedly met with an undisclosed promotion last Thursday - acknowledged his longtime home has most of its counterparts beat in the longevity department.
Swanson's UFC record sits at 10-4.