Contrary to Maia-Masvidal reports, Cub Swanson says he’s still in the UFC Nashville main event

Late last week, reports of a massive welterweight contender bout between Demian Maia and Jorge Masvidal began to surface. Though this fight has not yet been announced by the UFC, these reports suggested that this fight would serve as the main event of the UFC’s April 22 trip to Nashville, Tennessee.

If this was indeed the case, this would mean that Cub Swanson’s recently announced featherweight battle with Artem Lobov would not serve as the main event, as originally expected. According to Swanson himself, however, his fight with Lobov will still serve as Nashville’s main event. The featherweight star has apparently confirmed this with the UFC.

I'm the Main Event for #UFCNashville on April 22nd! @ufc pic.twitter.com/pFV4n3Wi6d

— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) February 27, 2017

I signed a contract to fight Artem at #UFCNashville in a 5×5 Main Event. I have reached out to the UFC about this and they have not answered

— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) February 27, 2017

I just got confirmation that I am still the Main Event for #UFCNashville So Artem is still getting his 5 round ass whooping (or he quits)

— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) February 27, 2017

What this means for the previously reported Demian Maia vs. Jorge Masvidal fight is difficult to say. It could mean that this Swanson-Lobov fight has been given the main event spot over Maia-Masvidal, but this seems unlikely. It could also mean that Maia and Masvidal’s rumored battle will not occur in Nashville as reported. Finally, it could also indicate that reports of this Maia-Masvidal fight were premature, and that the fight is not actually going to happen. This latter possibility, of course, would be a definite bummer for the fans.

Swanson will enter his main event battle with Lobov having recently defeated South Korean prospect Doo Ho Choi in one of the best fights ever. Prior to this win, he scored nice defeats of Hacran Dias and Tatsuya Kawajiri. Lobov, meanwhile, was last seen in the Octagon in November, when he scored a decision defeat over Japanese prospect Teruto Ishihara. In his most recent bout before this, the Conor McGregor training partner defeated Chris Avila in August.

The UFC’s upcoming trip to Nashville will also feature a lightweight battle between New York’s Al Iaquinta, and resurgent TUF 1 veteran Diego Sanchez.

Do you think Cub Swanson vs. Artem Lobov is the right choice for UFC Nashville’s main event? Sound off, PENN Nation!

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 2/28/2017.