They denied this. Why would liberal Sweden tarnish their reputation? What makes Sweden more likely to extradite him than the UK?

I didn't say the UK wouldn't, I believe both countries would turn him over rather quickly to the USA to get some diplomatic points. They don't care what happens to Assange because he is a citizen of neither one.

So why the whole charade of extraditing him from the UK to Sweden, to then begin the "to US" process, when the "to US" process could have simply started in the UK?