Tampa native Billy Quarantillo might be happiest he's ever been getting Cub Swanson fight

TAMPA, Fla. – Billy Quarantillo recalls jogging around Amalie Arena as an 0-1 amateur fighter, chuckling under his breath at his pipe dream of maybe fighting there one day.

The far-fetched goal is now a reality. Buffalo-born, Quarantillo (18-6 MMA, 6-4 UFC) has called Tampa his home for nearly 15 years and Saturday at UFC on ESPN 63, he’ll face the legendary Cub Swanson (29-14 MMA, 14-10 UFC) in that very building.

“It was something that I was dreaming of, but I knew I had so many obstacles in the meantime,” Quarantillo told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “When I first moved here in 2010, I was an 0-1 amateur fighter. I would literally run around Amalie. I’d go to the Sabres-Lightning games. I’d be like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to fight here one day.’ But that was deep in the back of my head. It was almost like a joke. Sure enough, the universe has a funny way of showing you what’s possible. I’ve said it all week long. I’m grateful to be here and it is really a dream come true.”

Quarantillo, 36, hasn’t fought since a March loss to Youssef Zalal. In the weeks that followed, Quarantillo hoped for a matchup that would excite him – and Swanson certainly fit that bill.

“My wife later described it as the happiest she’s ever seen me,” Quarantillo said. “I’m obviously married with two kids, so I guess that was one of the bigger moments. That’s the happiest I’ve been apparently (but not really obviously). I was super excited. Cub’s a legend of the sport. I remember watching him before I even trained martial arts. I was at a party watching him in the WEC and I wasn’t even training MMA. He’s been there done that and it’s exciting to fight him. But at the end of the day, I’m going to go out there and get my hand raised.”

Since a 3-0 start to his UFC tenure, Quarantillo has struggled to find consistent results. He’s alternated losses and wins over the course of his most recent seven. Quarantillo hopes to kick off a streak Saturday vs. one of the longest-tenured fighters on the roster.

“I don’t know if it’s some mental thing that I’ve got to overcome,” Quarantillo said. “But no matter what, I go out there to try to win every fight. Saturday night is not going to be any different.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.