Cub Swanson Turned Down by Multiple Jiu-Jitsu Schools Because of Gracie Opponent
Cub Swanson has a little bit of extra motivation heading into his UFC Fight Night 161 showdown with Kron Gracie.
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“Because he’s a Gracie and he has the name, it’s been an interesting one. I’ve been kicked out of a couple of jiu-jitsu schools because of the respect. They don’t want to train somebody that isn’t a Gracie, which really pisses me off,” Swanson said on UFC Unfiltered.
Swanson says that jiu-jitsu helped him through a difficult time in his life, but as he learned about the politics of the sport, he gradually gravitated toward MMA. Some of his struggles finding training in his current camp are yet another example of that.
“This is what I mean by it takes me back, because when I got into jiu-jitsu as a sport, it helped save my life,” Swanson said. “I was going down the wrong path. People know the story, I was getting into trouble, and I found jiu-jitsu. I fell in love, and I just competed all the time, and it became a passion.
“I was really interested in the Gracie family and what they did,” Swanson added. “And huge honor and respect to them and then after competing and doing all that, I learned the politics of the sport and how ridiculous it could be, and it kind of left a little sour taste in my mouth, and that’s why I started doing more MMA.”
Swanson is currently in the midst of the biggest slump of his career, as he is on a four-bout skid dating back to December 2017. While that includes submission losses to Brian Ortega and Renato Carneiro, Swanson is confident he will perform well when he locks horns with Gracie on Oct. 12.
“I feel like I’m the best fighter I’ve ever been,” Swanson said. “It’s unfortunate that I’ve had some losses, and I haven’t been able to show that, but this is another chance to make a statement and against a Gracie. I think it’s an honor for me.”
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