Cub Swanson
Featherweights set for June 22 in Atlantic City
Ross Pearson will look to make it two for two in his new division when he gets back to work in June.
Pearson, the Season 9 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” at lightweight, won his featherweight debut in December. He gets his next test at 145 pounds against Cub Swanson. The UFC recently announced the fight booking for its June 22 card in Atlantic City, N.J., which will be UFC on FX: Maynard vs. Guida.
After dropping two of three at 155 pounds, including a split decision loss to Edson Barboza at UFC 134 last August, Pearson (13-5, 5-2 UFC) had a successful entry into the featherweight division with a unanimous decision victory over Junior Assuncao at UFC 141. While at lightweight, the Brit’s wins were against the likes of Aaron Riley, Dennis Siver and Spencer Fisher – some of the UFC’s most battle-tested veterans.
Swanson (16-5, 1-1 UFC, a three-time Fight of the Night winner while in the WEC, picked up his first UFC win in January with a second-round TKO of George Roop at UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis in Chicago. In his UFC debut in November at the first UFC on Fox event, Swanson was submitted by Ricardo Lamas in the second round. Swanson, who trains in Albuquerque, N.M., at the Greg Jackson camp, will be looking for his first winning streak since 2008.
“Pearson is looking for a second win at 145 to firmly establish himself as a contender by taking on Swanson, who is one of the division’s most battle-tested, exciting fighters,” UFC president Dana White said in a statement.
Though a venue for UFC on FX 4 hasn’t been announced yet, reports indicate the targeted location is the new oceanside Revel resort, which will officially open just a month before the UFC rolls into town. The main event for UFC on FX 4 will be a lightweight contenders bout between two-time title challenger Gray Maynard and Clay Guida.
UFC on FX 4 will be the UFC’s first show in Atlantic City since UFC 53 in June 2005. The event will be the UFC’s seventh in Atlantic City, a city known for hosting major boxing events. The first three took place at the Trump Taj Mahal, followed by three at the Boardwalk Hall.