UFC veteran Mike Swick announces cancer diagnosis: ‘Toughest and most aggressive battle I have ever had’

Mike Swick is facing his “toughest and most aggressive battle” after being diagnosed with cancer seven years following his final MMA bout.

A member of the original The Ultimate Fighter season in 2004 and veteran of 15 UFC appearances, the 42-year-old Houston native published a lengthy post on Instagram revealing he spent the past five weeks undergoing chemotherapy sessions.

“I apparently had this for over seven months without knowing,” he wrote. “Even after passing an initial biopsy on my lymph node. Since all vitals were good and I passed all regular tests and blood work, we assumed it was the Johnson and Johnson vaccine side effects, since the nodes [swell] up literally the day after I got it.

“So if you scroll back seven months on my IG, you can see how much fun I was having with cancer and not even knowing it. Free-diving, skydiving, training… kinda crazy. Be safe everyone and never listen to the first diagnosis.”

Swick (15-6) competed as a professional MMA fighter between 1998 and 2015, defeating the likes of Joe Riggs, David Loiseau, Josh Burkman, Ben Saunders and Alex Schoenauer in the UFC before ending his career on a 1-4 run that spanned six years.

Read Swick’s full statement below.

Sometimes life throws you lemons, and then sometimes the whole lemon tree falls on your head.

Anyway, for those wondering where I have been the last 5 weeks, I been battling cancer in the toughest and most aggressive battle I have ever had.

Started with a 48 hour water fast, then the first Chemo session with an additional 24 hour water fast, then a day of solid plant based organic food, followed by another chemo and fast, then plant based again, keeping this routine until the week was over. From then I kept Chemo every other day for the next 3 weeks while eating only plant based organic cancer killing foods daily.

After 7 days all 15+ swollen lymph nodes in my neck were completely gone. Never had a single fever throughout, and vitals were always normal. Round 1 went to me for sure!

Then I continued same chemo and plant based routine, without anymore fasting, until I checked out a couple days ago.

Now recovering at home and actually feeling amazing mentally! Vitals all still good but still full of Chemo and a little weak and quite skinny. The lowest I got after the fasts and first week was 151lbs.

I will get a scan and update in just over a week but I decided not to hide this. I want everyone to watch as I beat this BS and recover myself back to 100% with a full recovery. So stay tuned…

P.S. I apparently had this for over 7 months without knowing. Even after passing an initial biopsy on my lymph node. Since all vitals were good and I passed all regular tests and blood work, we assumed it was the Johnson and Johnson Vaccine side effects, since the nodes swole up literally the day after I got it. So if you scroll back 7 months on my IG, you can see how much fun I was having with cancer and not even knowing it. Free-diving, skydiving, training… kinda crazy. Be safe everyone and never listen to the first diagnosis.

P.S.S. Lastly and MOST important is all the appreciation in the world to my wonderful girlfriend Julia, who has supported me more than I ever thought a human could! We are about to have an amazing Chapter 2 my love!