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Michael Aswell prepares to face Bogdan Grad of Romania in a featherweight fight during Dana White's Contender Series season eight, week three on August 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
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Michael Aswell Looks To Stay Busy Following DWCS

After Controversially Coming Up Short In The Performance Of A Lifetime At Dana White’s Contender Series, Michael Aswell Is Planning On Staying Busy And Improving
By Walker Van Wey • Aug. 28, 2024

Following an explosive DWCS week three card, Dana White was particularly interested in Michael Aswell’s bout with Contender Series veteran Bogdan Grad. The barnburner went to the judges’ scorecards with Grad’s hand being raised, but a guarantee of Aswell being booked should a featherweight or lightweight fall off a card.

“I had my eyes closed because I was getting stitched up and I heard this voice and I was like, ‘is that Dana White?!’” Aswell laughed. “He came back and was like, ‘Damn, kid! That was a hell of a f****** fight. I had you winning 29-28.’ And then he told me, ‘I’m going to give you your show money, your win money and a bonus.’ Then he told me he already talked to (UFC matchmaker) Sean (Shelby), and he’s like, ‘You’re next, bro. Whoever falls off, you’re next.’”

RECAP: Week 3 Results & Scorecards 

The blessing of a lifetime would have a lot of fighters feeling complacent, but Fury FC promoter Eric Garcia knows enough about Aswell from his long run under the Fury banner to know that it’s not in “The Texas Kid’s” DNA to sit on his hands and wait.

“Aswell isn’t a guy who just sits around,” Garcia explained. “We’re already looking into matchups for him in case the short notice call doesn’t come through for a couple months.”

While he didn’t agree with the judges’ decision, Aswell remains in good spirits and echoes Garcia’s thoughts, saying that staying active is most important.

“Whatever I’ve got to do, I’m ready whenever I get cleared,” Aswell said. “Whenever I can fight, I’ll literally fight. As soon as I’m able to fight, I’m going to fight, I guarantee it.”

With a mandatory eight days of no cardio and a six-week no contact order, no matter who sees Aswell in the cage next, it won’t be until October, but when the clock strikes midnight on his eighth day of the no cardio mandate, Aswell will have his gas tank ready for competition. Full camp or short notice.

WATCH: Contract Winners And Interviews | Week 3

“I’m a UFC-caliber fighter,” Aswell said. “I’m on this level so I don’t see myself getting in a position where I get beat badly. My skills match up well and my style is very hard to deal with and very weird. People think all I do is move forward throwing ones and twos, but my rhythm and timing and the way I fight is very weird, which you don’t understand until you’re in the fight with me.”

With a style he feels will thrive on short notice and has turned him into one of the biggest stars in Fury FC history, Michael Aswell is ready for hell and ready for war the second he gets a matchup, no matter where it’s at.

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Dana White's Contender Series