Cub Swanson defeated Nate Landwehr by technical knockout in the first round at UFC 327 in what was announced as Swanson's final fight in the UFC octagon. The 42-year-old Swanson earned his 31st professional victory in his retirement bout. Landwehr suffered his third consecutive loss. The decisive finish provided a fitting end to Swanson's long UFC career. Fans praised the veteran for delivering an exciting farewell performance.
Cub Swanson walked out of the UFC Octagon for the last time on April 11, 2026, delivering a first-round technical knockout of Nate Landwehr at UFC 327 to cap a remarkable career in the promotion.
Swanson, 42, closes his professional record at 31-14-0, a résumé built over decades at featherweight. The five-foot-eight Orthodox fighter out of UFC Gym Costa Mesa was precise and efficient throughout his career, connecting on 51 percent of his significant strikes while averaging 4.79 significant strikes per minute. He also contributed on the mat, averaging just over one takedown per 15 minutes. The retirement bout gave fans exactly what they hoped for: a clean, authoritative finish from a veteran who had nothing left to prove.
Landwehr, nicknamed "The Train," drops to 18-8-0 with the loss, his third defeat in a row. The 38-year-old from the United States trains out of MMA Masters and entered the fight as one of the division's more aggressive volume strikers, landing 5.63 significant strikes per minute with a 72-inch reach. The finish, however, underlined the challenge of facing an experienced finisher in Swanson on his farewell night.
Why it matters
- Swanson retires having recorded his 31st professional win, a milestone made more meaningful by the manner of the finish.
- The loss extends Landwehr's skid to three straight, raising questions about his path forward at featherweight.
- Swanson's exit removes a long-tenured veteran from the division, closing a chapter that spanned much of the UFC's modern era in the 145-pound weight class.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
