Featherweight veteran Cub Swanson is on the road to recovery and says he’s aiming for an octagon return before the year’s end.

Swanson took part in the Quintet Ultra grappling competition last December but, in what was meant to be a fun team competition, he ended up tearing his knee. He got his leg caught by Jake Shields and heard numerous pops, which resulted in a torn ACL and meniscus, and the longtime featherweight contender has been on the road to recovery ever since.

With the coronavirus outbreak suspending all UFC events indefinitely, Swanson (26-11 MMA, 11-7 UFC) won’t have too much ground to make up on his rivals, and he said he still hopes to fulfill his target of returning to action by November.

“I think the biggest thing about my comeback is I had a date of around November, and nothing’s stopping me from that,” said Swanson in an Instagram post. “This whole thing, it’s really challenged me to stay focused. I look at it on the bright side, like I’ve picked a great time to be injured, so I’m just focusing on being at home with my kids and enjoying my time, and knowing that I will be back by November. If there’s fights going on, I will be in them, I will be ready and I will be better than ever.”

Swanson snapped a four-fight losing skid in a much-needed win over Kron Gracie last October at UFC on ESPN+ 19, as he took the zero from the undefeated prospect’s record. Now he faces a different kind of fight as he battles his way back to fitness.