TAMPA, Fla. – Cub Swanson is still bothered by Joaquin Buckley’s comments.
Swanson and Buckley got into a heated exchange after Buckley claimed he could knock out UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre. Swanson took offense to the disrespect towards the welterweight great, leading to a back-and-forth between the two fighters.
Both Swanson (29-14 MMA, 14-10 UFC) and Buckley (20-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) are set to compete on Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 63 card at Amalie Arena (ESPN2, ESPN+). Swanson will face Billy Quarantillo (18-6 MMA, 6-4 UFC) in the co-main event, while Buckley will take on Colby Covington (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) in the main event.
“I stand by what I said,” Swanson told MMA Junkie and other reporters during Wednesday’s media day. “I don’t believe young fighters should disrespect the veterans, and that’s just how I feel. The people who paved the way deserve respect.”
Swanson has not crossed paths with Buckley yet, but he expects an apology for the insult in response to his comments.
“I’m sure I will (run into him), and I won’t back down from what I said,” Swanson stated. “I was a fan of his until he spoke out of turn. I have no hard feelings towards him, but as I mentioned, respect should be shown.”
“An apology for calling me a ‘hoe,’ because that’s one thing I am not. I have stayed true to myself and my values throughout my career, so the name-calling was unnecessary. However, I was a fan of his until that moment.”
For more information on the card, you can visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.
