SBG Ireland featherweight Artem Lobov is looking towards bigger things in the UFC, namely Cub Swanson and Doo Ho Choi.
Both fighters [Choi and Swanson] fought in an unforgettable scrap at UFC 206 in December, and ‘The Russian Hammer’ appears to want to test himself against both men. It appears, however, that Swanson has no interest in fighting the 30 year old, favouring to pursue a shot at the champion Jose Aldo, or [holder of the featherweight interim title] Max Holloway.
Swanson can justify his interest in climbing the the ladder rather than face Conor McGregor teammate Lobov (who is currently unranked). December’s victory over Choi is his third in a row, and he is currently ranked #4 in his division. At 33, he is not getting any younger, and is desperate for a shot at UFC gold. Despite Lobov’s best efforts, it appears he can chalk Cub’s name off his wishlist:
.@CubSwanson you'll like me even less after I am done with you
— Artem Lobov (@RusHammerMMA) January 8, 2017
At the moment I have my sights set on Aldo or Holloway
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) January 7, 2017
As previously reported by mmanews.com, Lobov said:
“Now that I’m in the UFC and I’m watching all the greatest fighters in the world compete, I’m quickly beginning to realize that there are not that many guys that want to fight. Everyone wants the money, everyone wants a good life, but they don’t want to fight. You see it often when a guy gets a win. You don’t see them for a while because they want to ride the wave of the win and not think about fighting. I’m not like that at all. I love fighting, I got into the sport because I love fighting and I want to do it as often as I can.”
Swanson’s latest statement may encourage the Dublin-based fighter to actively pursue a fight against Choi, who is ranked #11 in the featherweight division. Lobov is currently riding a two-fight win streak, following his underdog victory over Japan’s Teruto Ishihara, and is hopeful that this can be extended against a bigger name in the UFC.
