Cub
Swanson looked as surprised as anyone when his unanimous
decision victory over Hakeem
Dawodu in the
UFC on ESPN 51 co-main event was announced.
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“I felt like I was in the moment and having fun,” Swanson said
during his Octagon interview. “I thought I took more shots. I
always beat myself up so I’d have to watch it again. I was so
worried going into this fight. I got a name now and people expect
greatness.”
Each round was closely contested, but according to
MMADecisions.com, 11 of the 13 media members who scored the bout
saw it in favor of Dawodu. However, all three cageside judges
submitted 29-28 tallies in favor of Swanson. At the post-fight
press conference, the World Extreme Cagefighting veteran reiterated
his earlier sentiment that he thought his opponent would get the
nod.
“I’m always hard on myself,” Swanson said. “I didn’t think I won
the first round. Everyone in my corner said I did, and that it was
an easy one to call. I thought that he picked up some steam in the
second, but I know I hurt him at the end of the second.
“So in my mind, I was down two rounds, and I was like, ‘I need to
push the pace.’ He was powerful, and it was taking a toll on me,
but my conditioning was good, so I was just trying to stay in his
face. But I was mostly just mad about myself for not being a bit
more active. It was a chess match in there. It was a difficult one,
but I have to watch it again. It sounds like everyone thought I at
least won two rounds, so it’s cool.”
The 39-year-old Swanson has been victorious in four of his last six
Octagon appearances dating back to October 2019. Still, the Palm
Springs, California, native knows that his time in the sport is
limited.
“I’m close to the end,” Swanson said. “I’m just having fun at this
point. That was my goal: to have some fun tonight. I’ve been
fortunate to make some good money and make some investments, and
I’m just trying to make sure my family is taken care of.”