UFC Veteran Cub Swanson Discusses Long-Standing Feud with Gracie Family
Veteran UFC fighter Cub Swanson has shed light on his long-standing feud with the Gracie family, detailing how early career controversies and personal struggles shaped his relationship with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Cub Swanson Gracie Family Beef
Cub Swanson, a PanAm BJJ champion before transitioning to MMA, described an encounter with Kron Gracie at the 2003 US Open as a turning point. Swanson, then a rising competitor, faced the teenage Gracie in a match marred by disputed scoring. Swanson alleges that the referee favored Gracie, leaving him without points he believed he earned.
In an interview with Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Swanson explains:
“Kron looked at the ref, turned his back, and the ref turned around and gave it to me. I was like, “What does that mean?” The green and yellow belt is worn on top of your belt so they know who’s who when they’re scoring points. But he didn’t want to wear the green and yellow belt because he thought it was disrespectful.
“Only one person had to wear it, so when they tried to give it to him, he told the ref, “Get out of my face.” The ref turned around and handed it to me. I’d never seen that happen.
“We went at it, and he beat me on points, but they wouldn’t give me any points. I was bummed out. The next day, I was buying all the magazines—I was a huge fan of all the Gracies. I was just so into it because it was changing my life.“
“The next day, all the magazines wrote, ‘Kron Gracie beats PanAm champ to become US Open champ,'” Swanson said. “It crushed me. I felt disrespected like they used me to elevate him.”
Frustrated by the perceived bias and the threat of being banned from future BJJ competitions after an email exchange with a prominent journalist, Cub Swanson decided to leave traditional BJJ behind and shift his focus to MMA.
Years later, Swanson faced Kron Gracie in the UFC in what he described as a critical moment in his career. Coming off a losing streak, Swanson said the fight carried personal and professional weight. Despite the history between them, Swanson expressed respect for Gracie’s toughness in the Octagon.
“We went to do the face-off. I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me—I’d already fought the best of the best. He walked up and put his fist in my face. My manager asked, “Why didn’t you push him?” To me, that was cowardly.“
“It was a war,” Cub Swanson said. “I hit him with some of the nastiest body shots I’ve ever thrown, but he just kept coming forward.”
Swanson ultimately won the fight, showing why he is one of the most exciting fighters in UFC history. With 11 post-fight bonuses, he holds the record in the featherweight division and has become a fan favorite for his dynamic and creative striking.
While the tension with the Gracie family remains palpable, Cub Swanson has moved forward, continuing to build on his reputation as a veteran fighter and a key figure in MMA.
