UFC veteran Cub Swanson may have had many struggles in recent years, but he feels he still has a lot to prove in the Octagon ahead of UFC Vegas 45.

Swanson is slated to face Darren Elkins tomorrow night at UFC Vegas 45 and will look to get back in the win column after falling to Giga Chikadze earlier this year. While Swanson has been a mainstay in the featherweight division, he's taken a lot of damage in losing five of his last seven bouts.

Despite the recent struggles and being arguably past his physical prime at 38 years old, Swanson still feels he provides challenges for many up-and-coming 145-pound prospects.

During a recent interview with the Desert Sun, Swanson addressed his UFC future and what motivates him at this point in his career.

“It’s my decision, and it’s not like I’m washed up. It’s kind of annoying," Swanson said when asked about people telling him to stop fighting. “I’m getting the feeling that people don’t want me to fight anymore. I take that into consideration because of my fans. So every fight, I’m trying to have the best performance to prove that I’m doing the right thing.

I still feel like I’m getting better.

Swanson made his UFC debut back in 2011 against Ricardo Lamas, losing via second-round submission. He would go on quite the run with six-straight wins before losing to top contenders Frankie Edgar and Max Holloway.

When Swanson has ended up on the losing side of things, it's usually against a high level of competition. His most recent loss to Chikadze showed how the current generation of featherweight prospects is arguably passing the veterans in the division.

Swanson will have the opportunity to calm the critics this weekend at UFC Vegas 45 and prove that he's still a force to be reckoned with in the promotion.

What are your thoughts on Cub Swanson's UFC career?