Cub Swanson: ‘10 Out of 10 Times’ Comment in Reference to Jens Pulver Rematch, Not Jose Aldo

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Cub Swanson wants to set the record straight.

Last Friday, Swanson appeared on the Sherdog Radio Network's “Beatdown” program opposite co-hosts T.J. De Santis and Jeff Sherwood, the latter of which asked Swanson if the oft-replayed nature of his 2009 knockout defeat to Jose Aldo made the featherweight yearn more intensely for another crack at “Scarface.”

“It does, but it's been a while. I've put it past me,” Swanson replied. “I know that I could win that fight 10 out of 10 times if we did it again. It's not even an issue to me anymore. I would actually love for my brother to fight him. [My brother] is more of an up-and-comer, which I feel is more of a fair fight.”

Swanson returned to “Beatdown” on Wednesday to clarify that comment, which Swanson says was made in reference to a potential rematch with former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver, who submitted Swanson with a guillotine choke nearly five years ago at WEC 31.

“We were going back and forth about different past opponents, and that was a mental error on my side,” Swanson said of his previous “Beatdown” appearance. “I was talking about Jens Pulver, and I thought you guys had asked me about a rematch with him. That's why I said that was a long time ago and that I had put it past me.

“No, [I don't want my brother to fight Aldo.] My brother is a [flyweight], and he fights at 135 [pounds] as well, but that's the fight that I would love for my brother to have -- with Jens. Jose Aldo is the fight that I want.”

Swanson then further elaborated on a hypothetical return bout with Aldo. While he may have misspoken in regard to the “10 out of 10 times” comment, that does not mean the Jackson's MMA representative would back down if he were given another opportunity to fight the UFC featherweight king.

“I don't feel that [a rematch with Aldo] would play out like it did that time,” said Swanson. “I feel like that was a once-in-a-longtime type of thing, and it's not going to happen again. If we fought again, I'm very confident, and I think it would be a hell of a fight.

“Personally, I've grown up a lot mentally [since the first bout]. I don't get nerves like I used to. I feel that the key for me is just being calm and confident,” Swanson continued. “In that fight, I was very one-track-minded, and I just felt like I had to do one thing right off the bat. It was too close-minded for me and not really my usual game plan, and it backfired.”

Swanson admits that the fallout from his initial comment has been frustrating. Though the featherweight feels sure of his abilities as a potential challenger to Aldo's throne, he does not want that confidence to be mistaken for arrogance.

“People want to be quick to remind you of what happened, but I feel like I've earned the respect to get another shot,” said Swanson. “It sucks getting people talking crap to you for something you didn't say or didn't mean to say. I just don't want to be seen as somebody who's a cocky jerk. I'm going to say that I'm confident in my ability, but I'm not ignorant [enough] to say that I'm going to demolish every fighter out there and that nobody has a chance against me. That's not me.”