Fight Coverage
Steven Asplund | Unapologetically Himself
Heavyweight Details His Journey To The Octagon And The Goals He Has Heading Into His Second Year On The Roster
Steven Asplund made his professional MMA debut on November 11, 2023, where, in true “Concrete” fashion, he earned the win in just 11 seconds.
Less than two years later, Asplund would get the opportunity to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series for a chance to earn a UFC contract.
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When I spoke with the heavyweight earlier this week, I mentioned how there wasn’t a lot of time in between his pro debut and his DWCS fight; before I could even ask if the journey was faster or shorter than expected, he stopped me, as if he realized for the first time how impressive the journey he has been on is.
“Honestly, I didn't think I was going to get to the UFC,” Asplund said. “Even with the wins, I didn't care. My father went unnoticed for a long time back in the day. I got into this for all the wrong reasons. I wanted to make money. I wanted to try to provide for my kid. I just didn't want to be a f*** up.
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"I wanted something to pursue, and everything drastically changed in the short time. I won nine fights in a row as an amateur, and two years, three years. The whole journey is surreal. I feel like there's shitty movies about it everywhere. It's incredible.”
Since earning his spot on the UFC roster last September with 16-second knockout — and an even more jaw-dropping post-fight interview with Laura Sanko — Asplund has quickly become a fan-favorite. A man who wears his heart on his sleeve and uses his platform as a place to share his story and journey, Asplund isn’t worried about what people think of him, the antics or emotions he may share pre-or post-fight.
“I feel like that's my purpose,” Asplund said. “Not to be a fighter, to be any of this shit. I want to promote a message of love and positivity amongst the youth, troubled youth or people that are doubting themselves. I mean, anybody, for that matter, but specifically the kids. I know what it's like to feel worth nothing. You are worth that shit and just work hard. I don't know, it's corny.”
As he finished his statement, Asplund chuckled a bit as I responded with ‘it’s not corny!’ Because it isn’t. It’s important to sit back and remember these athletes have back stories, and we should be thankful when they are willing to share them with us.
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After we got through the heartfelt stuff, with Asplund starting to tear up here and there and telling me that he is a genuine guy — so sometimes he cries on camera, and it’s a problem (even though it’s not) — we switched gears to the fun stuff: the fist fighting.
For someone who didn’t even have a goal to make it to the UFC, the heavyweight now sets his sights on breaking into the rankings and maybe fighting for gold one day.
“Now I want to top 15 spot, and I think this Saturday I'm fighting for a top 15 spot,” Asplund said. “After this I want to top five spot and then I want to f***ing fight the champ."
"I know what I'm capable of and I'm starting to understand I'm seeing a lot of these guys I've idolized on TV and it's like, you're a f***ing guy, you bleed just like me, bro. You breathe just like me. You could die just like me, so run it. I’ll put my hands up against anybody, except for Alex Pereira; that dude is terrifying.”
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Saturday night, he faces someone he has studied before in Vitor Petrino. Asplund trains in Minnesota with fellow UFC heavyweight Thomas Petersen, who squared off against Petrino last October in Rio, so to say this camp has been well-informed is a good place to start.
But now, the 27-year-old looks to right the ship for his teammate after he was knocked out by Petrino a few months ago, and now Asplund feels confident he’ll be able to get the job done on Saturday night.
Steven Asplund TKOs Sharaf In Round 2 | UFC Fight Night: Royval vs Kape
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Steven Asplund TKOs Sharaf In Round 2 | UFC Fight Night: Royval vs Kape
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“I like what I see in him, and I think that this is just another good matchup,” Asplund said. “He has great wrestling, so what happens when I stuff his takedowns and I get up? If he does take me down, how is he going to be able to deal with that?
"We all know he doesn't have the best gas tank, or at least that's what we've seen. I'm assuming he's working on it, but I've been a fat guy for a minute, and I've had a pretty good gas tank for a minute, so put this big muscle-bound mother***er to the test and let's go see what rubber does against muscle.”
After back-to-back stoppage wins, including a Performance of the Night bonus, one would think we can expect another fun fight inside Meta APEX on March 14th, but perhaps Asplund has other plans.
“It's going to be a lot more boring, for sure. I have to be patient. I want to win. I think that we can get fight of the night if he obliges and strikes with me. But I don't think anybody in their fucking right mind is going to be like, go strike with this kid, you know? That's no disrespect to him. It's just that I know what I'm capable of.
“I want to split him open. I want him to see his own blood, and I want to see what that does to him in a fight, because he is just starching, mother***ers. So, let's go. I prayed for this. We got it.”
UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Vallejos took place live from Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 14, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!