Las Vegas — Heavyweight Steven Asplund was a short-notice addition to the Contender Series this week, and taking advantage of the short notice opportunity paid off.
Battling obesity for years and topping 500lbs, Asplund has travelled a winding road to this point. His MMA journey has helped him shed hundreds of pounds; he’s also a second-generation fighter whose father, Kevin Asplund, once competed for Bellator MMA.
Asplund (6-1) faced Anthony Guarascio on the Contender Series this week, and despite being a short-notice match-up, it turned into something of a grudge match.
“That guy was a f*cking abrasive d*ckhead all week. I’m a fat boy man, like real sh*t, I’ll own it. Yeah, titties did it again,” Asplund told media outlets including Cageside Press following his win on Tuesday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. “I had so many messages from people in his camp talking sh*t and just saying I was going t to die, messaging my camp, my teammates, my friends, my family. ‘Bet $250 on it,’ da da da da.”
Then there was the little exchange as the pair’s fight was about to kick off. “And then the ugly trailer trash-looking motherf*cker had the audacity to wink at my across the cage,” recalled Asplund. “Okay, let’s make it a show.”
He did just that, finishing the fight in just 16 seconds. Perhaps a warning, or just a reminder: in the heavyweight division, anyone can be knocked out.
“Who the f*ck doesn’t have knock out power? That’s what I want to say. That’s literally all I have to say on that,” stated Asplund. “It made me feel really good to be able to shut him up and then watch… you’re f*cking 32 bro. Grow up.”
Asplund is now ready to get right down to business. When it comes to a debut date in the UFC proper, he’s ready to go any time. “I meant it when I told Dana anywhere, anybody, whoever. I don’t give a f*ck. I want to fight, and I want to prove to everybody on this Earth that ‘Concrete’s’ here to stay.”
Watch the full Contender Series 2025 Week 5 post-fight media appearance with Steven Asplund above.
