Cub Swanson is all in on himself heading into his last fight of 2017.
It turns out the perennial featherweight contender's December bout with Brian Ortega at UFC Fight Night 123 will be the last on his existing deal. Now 33 and nearly six years into a beltless UFC stint, Swanson wants a contract guaranteeing a title shot should he beat Ortega and enough of a payout to retire comfortably when his body has seen enough.
As he recently told ESPN's Brett Okamoto on "Five Rounds," the brass hasn't met him halfway, hence the gamble he's made on his date with Ortega.
"It's a power move," Swanson said. "Of course, I want to get paid more. The thing people don't understand is that I've got to a point where I'm making good money and it's enough to live on, but it's not retirement money. Not even close.
"I've been doing this for 13 years and I'm in the prime of my career, but at some point it's going to dip off and I'd like to walk away before I start having really bad performances - with enough money in my account to make smart investments and do the right things. I just want that opportunity."
A winner of four straight, the fourth-ranked Swanson called for a shot at featherweight gold following his April victory over Artem Lobov, only to see Frankie Edgar tapped to face incumbent champ Max Holloway at UFC 218 - Edgar's third divisional title bout. Having shared the cage with both world title challengers and eventual champions, Swanson feels slighted by the booking and suspects he's been forever relegated to gatekeeper status.
"This is the 20th title fight since I've been in this division. I've been in the top tier of guys my entire career. It's a little frustrating seeing somebody like Frankie, who is great, get tons of title fights. I just don't understand it," Swanson said.
"I wanted some leverage for that (in my contract). I'm next. They're always saying, 'We can't guarantee anything,' and it's like, 'Come on. Yes, you can.'"
Swanson's next fight only bolsters his suspicions, as the undefeated Ortega heads into the stiffest test of his career with a 4-0 UFC record. Had he signed on the dotted line, the perennial contender believes he'd be sharing the cage with someone far more established.
"My honest opinion is I feel I may have upset somebody because I didn't take a new deal. That's just how it works," he added. "I'm very happy with the UFC, but I would like to position myself better. I think I probably would have gotten (Jose) Aldo or (Ricardo) Lamas if I'd signed a new contract with them. I didn't, and now I'm getting a young, hungry, up-and-comer."
If there's a silver lining to be found in his predicament, it's the prospect of purging his frustration at his rising foe's expense for five solid rounds on Dec. 9.
"Unfortunately for Ortega, I'm pretty pissed off for this situation and I'm going to take it out on him," he said.