Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. A
Ultimate Fighting Championship fan-favorite is setting foot in
the cage before the end of the year. On Wednesday night, Daniel
Pineda (27-13, 2 NC) posted on his Instagram announcing
that he would be taking on Cub Swanson
(26-11) at UFC
256. Shortly thereafter, Swanson also posted to his social media that he
would be meeting Pineda. The two featherweights will square off at
the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Dec. 12, and it is unclear if they
will fight on the main card or preliminaries.
Swanson last competed in October 2019, where he snapped a
four-fight skid after a victorious thrilling brawl with Kron
Gracie. Swanson then competed at the Quintet Ultra event in
December, and he tore his ACL and meniscus against Jake Shields
to keep him out of action for nearly a year. Once known as a
finisher, the California native has not stopped a foe since he
knocked out Dennis Siver
in 2013. His last six wins have all come by decision.
Pineda returned to the UFC in triumphant fashion in August, when he
became the first fighter to finish Herbert
Burns, doing so with a barrage of brutal elbow strikes.
Pineda’s leadup to getting re-signed to the promotion was a
tumultuous one, as he battered Movlid
Khaybulaev and Jeremy
Kennedy in the Professional Fighters League only to failed a
drug test and lose by triumphs. This stint inside the Octagon is
Pineda’s second, as he competed seven times in the UFC from 2012 to
2014, losing four of those to eventually be oustered. Pineda
bounced around Bellator MMA, PFL, Legacy Fighting Championship and Fury Fighting Championship before returning to
the UFC this year. All 27 career wins for “The Pit” have come by
stoppage.
UFC 256 goes down on Dec. 12 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, where it
will be capped off by a bantamweight title tilt as Petr Yan takes
on Aljamain
Sterling. Also on the main card is a middleweight bout between
Marvin
Vettori and Ronaldo
Souza, while Mackenzie
Dern locks horns with Virna
Jandiroba at women’s strawweight.
