Cub Swanson biography: 13 things about UFC fighter born in Palm Springs, California

Who is Cub Swanson?

Professionally known as Cub Swanson, Kevin Luke Swanson is an American-Swedish-Mexican professional mixed martial artist currently signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is based in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.

The palm trees tattooed on Swanson’s stomach are for Palm Springs, California, USA. Born and raised in Palm Springs to a Swedish father and a Mexican mother, Swanson has two older brothers namely Steve Swanson and Aaron Swanson.

As a child, Aaron could not say Kevin and called him Cub instead and it became his nickname. They also have two sisters and the younger one has Down syndrome.

After the death of Cub’s father, his mother suffered from drug addiction. Because of this, he and his siblings were adopted by his father’s cousin.

White attending Cathedral City High School in Cathedral City, California, he associated himself with gangs, participated in streets fights, drank alcohol and took recreational drugs. He and two of his friends were arrested for committing a house robbery and he was placed in a juvenile detention center.

As an MMA fighter, Swanson competes in the bantamweight, featherweight and lightweight divisions. He is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Rigan Machado and a black belt in judo.

Before joining the UFC, Cub competed in He is 5’8″ tall and he holds a professional MMA record of 28 wins and 13 losses.

In Cub’s spare time, he plays golf in Indio, California. Before becoming an MMA fighter, he played soccer.

Cub owns Tru MMA in Indio and co-owns a UFC gym in Costa Mesa, California with Michael Bisping. Here are 13 more things about him:

1. In January 1984, his father died of melanoma. 
2. In 1997, his adoptive parents divorced so he was reunited with his mother, who had recovered from drug addiction.
3. In 2000, he was released from a juvenile detention center.
4. In 2002, he started working for United Cerebral Palsy and helped children with disabilities.
5. In 2003, he started his MMA training.
6. On July 25, 2004, he made his professional MMA debut.
7. On November 12, 2011, he made his UFC debut.
8. He played an MMA fighter in “Kingdom” Season 1 episode 1, which aired on Audience Network on October 8, 2014.
9. On May 10, 2017, he taught intermediate MMA classes at his UFC gym in Costa Mesa.
10. On August 21, 2017, Kenda Perez gave birth to their first child Royal Rae Swanson.
11. On June 1, 2018, he married Perez.
12. On September 2, 2018, Perez gave birth to their identical twin sons Saint Cub Swanson and King Cub Swanson.
13. On November 2, 2024, he turned 41.

Cub Swanson’s professional MMA career timeline

From 2004 to 2024, Swanson fought 44 professional MMA opponents. Here are the results:

2004

• On July 25, 2004, Shannon Gugerty submitted him at “Total Combat 4” in Tijuana, Mexico.
• On October 24, 2004, he defeated Joe Morales via technical knockout at “Total Combat 6” in Tijuana.

2005

• On January 29, 2005, he submitted Martin Bautista at “Total Combat 7” in Tijuana.
• On August 5, 2005, he defeated Armando Sanchez via TKO at “KOTC 58” in San Jacinto, California.
• On September 23, 2005, he defeated Mike Corey via TKO at “KOTC 61” in San Jacinto.
• On December 2, 2005, he defeated Fernando Arreola via TKO at “KOTC 63” in San Jacinto.

2006

• On March 11, 2006, he defeated Gugerty via TKO at “Total Combat 13” in Del Mar, California.
• On August 4, 2006, he defeated Richard Montano via unanimous decision at “KOTC: Rapid Fire” in San Jacinto.
• On October 13, 2006, he defeated Charlie Valencia via TKO at “KOTC: BOOYAA” in San Jacinto.
• On November 17, 2006, he knocked out Chuck Kim at “BIB” in Bakersfield, California, USA.

2007

• On March 24, 2007, he submitted Tommy Lee at “WEC 26” in Las Vegas.
• On June 3, 2007, he defeated Micah Miller via unanimous decision at “WEC 28” in Las Vegas.
• On December 12, 2007, he was submitted by Jens Pulver at “WEC 31” in Las Vegas.

2008

• On February 23, 2008, he submitted Donny Walker at “IFBL 11” in Niles, Ohio, USA.
• On December 3, 2008, he defeated Hiroyuki Takaya via unanimous decision at “WEC 37” in Las Vegas.

2009

• On June 7, 2009, he lost to Jose Aldo via TKO at “WEC 41” in Sacramento, California.
• On November 18, 2009, he submitted John Franchi at “WEC 44” in Las Vegas.

2010

• On August 18, 2010, he lost to Chad Mendes via unanimous decision at “WEC 50” in Las Vegas.
• On November 11, 2010, he defeated Mackens Semerzier via split decision at “WEC 52” in Las Vegas.

2011

• On November 12, 2011, Ricardo Lamas submitted him at “UFC on Fox 1” in Anaheim, California.

2012

• On January 28, 2012, he defeated George Roop via TKO at “UFC on Fox 2” in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
• On June 22, 2012, he defeated Ross Pearson via TKO at “UFC on FX 4” in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA.
• On September 12, 2012, he knocked out Charles Oliveira at “UFC 152” in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

2013

• On February 16, 2013, he defeated Dustin Poirier via unanimous decision at “UFC on Fuel TV 7” in London, England.
• On July 6, 2013, he knocked out Dennis Siver at “UFC 162” in Las Vegas.

2014

• On June 28, 2014, he defeated Jeremy Stephens via unanimous decision at “UFC Fight Night 44” in San Antonio, Texas, USA.
• On November 22, 2014, he was submitted by Frankie Edgar at “UFC Fight Night 57” in Austin, Texas.

2015

• On April 18, 2015, he was submitted by Max Holloway at “UFC on Fox 15” in Newark, New Jersey, USA.

2016

• On April 16, 2016, he defeated Hacran Dias via unanimous decision at “UFC on Fox 19” in Tampa, Florida.
• On August 6, 2016, he defeated Tatsuya Kawajiri via unanimous decision at “UFC Fight Night 92” in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
• On December 10, 2016, he defeated Choi Doo-ho via unanimous decision at “UFC 206” in Toronto.  

2017

• On April 22, 2017, he defeated Artem Lobov via unanimous decision at “UFC Fight Night 108” in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
• On December 9, 2017, he was submitted by Brian Ortega at “UFC Fight Night 123” in Fresno, California.

2018

• On April 21, 2018, he lost to Edgar via unanimous decision at “UFC Fight Night 128” in Atlantic City.
• On August 4, 2018, he was submitted by Renato Moicano at “UFC 227” in Los Angeles, California.

2019

• On May 4, 2019, he lost to Shane Burgos via split decision at “UFC Fight Night 151” in Ottawa, Ontario.
• On October 12, 2019, he defeated Kron Gracie via unanimous decision at “UFC Fight Night 161” in Tampa.

2020

• On December 12, 2020, he knocked out Daniel Pineda at “UFC 256” in Las Vegas.

2021

• On May 1, 2021, he lost to Giga Chikadze via TKO at “UFC Vegas 25” in Enterprise, Nevada.
• On December 18, 2021, he defeated Darren Elkins via TKO at “UFC Vegas 45” in Enterprise.

2022

• On October 15, 2022, he lost to Jonathan Martinez via TKO at “UFC Vegas 62” in Enterprise.

2023

• On August 12, 2023, he defeated Hakeem Dawodu via unanimous decision at “UFC Vegas 78” in Enterprise.

2024

• On June 29, 2024, he lost to Andre Fili via split decision at “UFC 303” in Paradise, Nevada.
• On December 14, 2024, he knocked out Billy Quarantillo at “UFC on ESPN 63” in Tampa.