Minnesota’s Fight Camp on the Rise, Display at LFA 200

LFA 200
Photo courtesy of Steven Asplund on IG (@steven_asplund)

Smack dab in the middle of Minnesota, a fight team has emerged that is forcing people to pay attention. Starting with their fearless captain, UFC heavyweight Thomas Peterson at the helm, the squad of heavyweights is starting to take the regional scene by the throat.

Of those names you’ll know soon enough (if you don’t already) is Alvin Hines and Steven Asplund – both of which ply their trade in LFA and will at LFA 200 this weekend. The two point to the methods of training that Peterson has helped lead the way with as to why they’re getting ready to take that next step.

“I know people are like ‘oh, I train hard’, but we do, man. And we’re all heavyweights. We’re not throwing around those little bodies,” Hines said. “We train like a real fight every day – every damn day. Obviously we’re not flatlining each other, but we’re training like we’re going in there and it’s the real deal.”

Asplund adds that Peterson brought about a change to make it even tougher after a tough UFC debut.

“When Tommy [Peterson] fought [Jamal] Pogues in February of last year, that’s kind of when we started doing that,” Asplund explained. “Tommy came back with a different mindset and he was like, look, man, we got to kick up the intensity and we got to treat this shit like a fight every day.”

That change really sparked things. After that loss, the three of them combined to go 4-1 to close out the year. Asplund credits his improvements made under the suggestions of Peterson for all the success.

“I agree, you know, the only way to get better in the fire is if you’re in that f*cking fire. I feel like Tommy’s leading the charge. He’s an exemplar,” Asplund said. “I mean the guy’s about to break top 15 in the next f*cking two weeks and just being able to share the room with him, let alone be friends with him. You know, he’s really facilitated a pace for us and an expectation.”

Those expectations don’t go without their costs. Hines recalls more than one occasion when the drive home has him reflecting on the hell he’s been through. However, it’s all for the best because it’ll pay off in the cage – as it should at LFA 200.

“There’s days when I drive home in silence and think ‘holy shit,” Hines said. “But you know what? That’s why we are cleaning people.”

And that hard work is something that Asplund values. He knows that it’s hard to find a good heavyweight room, it’s hard to find a good team and it’s hard to find something close to home – and somehow he has all three.

I’m so honored and grateful to be in this room with these guys,” Asplund said. “I mean, holy shit. I could not ask for a better team, let alone not have to travel.”

We’ll get to see the fruits of both Hines and Asplund’s labors this Saturday at LFA 200. Asplund caps off the preliminary card against Hammer Morton on YouTube starting at 8pm EST. Hines, meanwhile, kicks off the main card against Mark Currier starting at 9pm EST.

You can also catch Thomas Peterson’s next fight soon. He takes on Shamil Gaziev at UFC Saudi Arabia the following weekend.

You can hear the entire audio with Steven Asplund below at 20:05.