Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight strikers Cub Swanson and Doo Ho Choi went to war last night (Dec. 10, 2016) at UFC 206 in Air Canada Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Because of a couple tough losses to the division's best, Swanson has been forced into the role of gatekeeper. "Killer Cub" was trying to break out of that role, and a win against the division’s hottest prospects could help him get back into the mix. Choi has quickly knocked out a vast majority of his opponents. This was a huge step up in competition for the South Korean, but Choi walked his foe down just like any other.
HIGHLIGHTS! To watch Cub Swanson and Doo Ho Choi go to war last night at UFC 206 click here!
Choi landed some big punches and knees to start the bout, but Swanson stormed back back with his own combinations. His unorthodox movement and timing allowed him to land some big shots, but Choi stayed in the pocket and hunted for Swanson’s jaw with his own sharp punches.
Overall, the first round was very close. Swanson seemed to be the more effective and more active striker for long periods of time, but Choi would pick his moments and let loose with vicious punches.
Things were still very much up in the air heading into the second.
About a minute into the second round, Swanson crushed Choi with a lunging combination. Choi was badly rocked and stumbling around, while Swanson swarmed him with brutal and heavy punches. However, he burned a ton of energy chasing the finish, allowing an exhausted Choi to chase his own finish with a series of punches.
A takedown from Swanson allowed him to recover some energy, but the fight returned to a wild brawl the second it went back to the feet. Both men scored for a bit, but a massive combination from Swanson nearly put his opponent down once again.
Both fighters had huge moments, but Swanson deserved the round.
Choi opened up the final round in a big way, landing some hard shots and forcing his opponent to the mat. However, in a moment of veteran brilliance, Swanson was able to spin into top position. He only controlled position for a minute, but it returned momentum to his corner and allowed him to land a huge combination when Choi scrambled to his feet.
A big throw from Swanson looked pretty, but he wasn’t able to control his opponent. Both men were absolutely exhausted, but Swanson continued to push forward with bigger combinations. Additionally, he finished the round by dropping Choi with a combination that featured hard hooks, hand-on-the-mat high kicks, and a sneaky elbow.
It was enough to secure the decision victory.
Swanson won this bout because he’s a veteran. His creative combinations and comfort in brawls allowed him to really take over. Even when Swanson was rocked, he remained calm and tricked his opponent into grappling exchanges, where the black belt was the superior scrambler.
There were a few key moments in this bout where Swanson was able to land in top position thanks to his clinch throws and scrambles. It didn’t allow him to do all that much, but it forced Choi to work while his Swanson rested. When they returned to their feet, Swanson was more energized and ready to throw. At any rate, Swanson put on a stellar performance in a "Fight of the Year" contender. He deserves to be back in the mix following a win like this, and a rematch with Ricardo Lamas would make plenty of sense.
As for Choi, it’s hard to be too critical. His hands are terrifyingly fast and powerful, as his straight shots drove into his opponent's head with great speed. He landed plenty of counter blows as well, but Choi did show a bit of inexperience by backing straight up at times.
That allowed Swanson to land his biggest combinations of the fight, and it cost the South Korean.
Aside from Choi’s excellent boxing, his size is clearly a big weapon. Prior to fatigue, Choi was able to really muscle Swanson around from inside the clinch and generally make his opponent’s life miserable at close range. Despite the loss, Choi is still a great prospect to watch. After he recovers from this war, a scrap with someone like Brian Ortega would make sense.
Last night, Cub Swanson brawled past Doo Ho Choi in a stellar bout. Where does "Killer Cub" head from here?
For complete UFC 206 "Holloway vs Pettis" results and play-by-play, click HERE!