Cub Swanson remains firm in his stance against Joaquin Buckley, emphasizing respect for veteran fighters, despite their past feud stemming from Buckley’s comments about Georges St-Pierre, as both prepare to compete at UFC Tampa.
Cub Swanson isn’t backing down. Earlier this year, an unexpected beef brewed in the MMA world. Welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley picked a fight with Swanson, a seasoned featherweight in the UFC.
Now, fate has both fighters on the same card at UFC Tampa this Saturday. Buckley headlines against Colby Covington, while Swanson faces Billy Quarantillo in the co-main event. Naturally, everyone’s buzzing about their relationship.
“I stand by what I said,” Swanson declared to reporters. “Younger guys shouldn’t disrespect the veterans. That’s just how I see it. The trailblazers deserve respect.”
He added, “I’m sure I’ll run into him, and I’m not backing down. I was a fan until he started talking trash. No hard feelings, but respect’s important.”
The drama kicked off in May when Buckley claimed he could KO a prime Georges St-Pierre. Swanson, a friend and former teammate of GSP, defended him fiercely. Buckley retaliated with harsh words questioning Swanson’s entire career.
The tension fizzled as Buckley focused on his welterweight ambitions. It’s unclear if “New Mansa” still harbors ill feelings toward Swanson.
Swanson’s open to reconciliation—if Buckley admits fault. “An apology for calling me a ‘ho’ would be nice,” Swanson mentioned. “I’ve always stayed true to myself, so the name-calling crossed a line.”
UFC Tampa is set for Saturday at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL.