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LOS ANGELES – Cub Swanson heard it from the peanut gallery when he lost a second time to former UFC champion Frankie Edgar.

Still, Swanson (25-9 MMA, 10-5 UFC)  took small victories from the meeting and held his head high. Sometimes, he said, you move forward even as you go the other direction on paper.

“I was happy with things that I did,” Swanson told MMAjunkie. “I stopped all of Frankie’s takedowns, and that was what I worked. I had limited time with what I was able to do. Moving, having only a few weeks notice, I was very happy with the things that I wanted to do, but not with the result.”

A UFC 227 pay-per-view main-card bout opposite promising up-and-comer Renato Moicano (12-1-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) is the canvas for his next creation. With more than one month to train, Swanson ventures his next appearance will go a lot more smoothly.

Swanson, who meets Moicano on Saturday at Staples Center, said there was demand from several prospective opponents following his most recent defeat. He answered Moicano, who leaped onto the radar this past year with a win over Jeremy Stephens before falling short to current title challenger Brian Ortega.

Ortega handed Swanson his last loss and a growth opportunity that hasn’t quite paid off yet. Swanson still loves the sport and isn’t ready to let go of his desire to deliver a flawless performance in the octagon.

“I had seen he beat Jeremy Stephens, and I knew that I was going to fight the winner of him and Ortega,” Swanson said. “He had been calling me out. There’s a line of people calling me out – I’ll fight that guy. I’ll go down the list.

“I’m very impressed with the way he fights. He’s very tactical. I don’t think he’s the most exciting fighter, but he does very well using his length, his body, his footwork, and I’ve got to respect him for that. But I’m going to knock him out, so whatever.”

Never one to shy away from a slugfest, Swanson comes into the fight on a two-fight skid. He realizes another loss could place him in a must-win situation, and he’s trying to avoid the pressure that brings.

“It’s 100 percent in my power to go in and win this fight. I just need to go in there and do it,” he said.

To hear more from Swanson, check out the video above.

And for more on UFC 227, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.