Steven Asplund’s Incredible Debut Steals the Show at UFC Vegas 112

After seven years, the UFC on ESPN era came to a close on Saturday night, December 13, with UFC Vegas 112. Ultimately, the card was not the most memorable (and it didn’t help TKO brethren WWE had its highly-anticipated retirement night for John Cena). 

Standout moments were a thing, however, including Manel Kape’s first-round knockout of Brandon Royval in the main event and a successful UFC debut for former Bellator welterweight champion Yaroslav Amosov.

But for the best story that came out of UFC Vegas 112, you have to look deeper into the preliminary card. And you have to look at the story that surrounds heavyweight Steven Asplund, who made his UFC debut at UFC Vegas 112, taking on Sean Sharaf.

If one were to take a look at Asplund, some might be confused, bewildered, or downright condescending. He doesn’t look like an athlete, and the man isn’t afraid to admit that.

Asplund was once 500 pounds, but over the course of his MMA journey, he managed to drop himself to approximately 250. And while do, he’s managed to garner quite the little reputation for himself. He went 6-0 as an amateur, picking up a number of amateur heavyweight titles. Then, primarily fighting for the LFA, he started his pro career 5-1.

This garnered him the opportunity to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series in September, and he made the most of it. In one of the fastest finishes in the show’s history, he put away Anthony Guarascio in just 16 seconds.

This is what he had going for him heading into his official UFC debut against Sean Sharaf. Sharaf is no pushover, racking up a 4-0 record alongside a heavyweight title in the Lights Out Xtreme Fighting promotion founded by former NFL player Shawne Merriman. He dropped his UFC debut to Junior Tafa last year.

The expectation was going to be one of those heavyweight battles where all it takes is either guy to throw one perfect power punch to end the fight by sending someone into unconsciousness. And the two men fought like that to start, throwing heavy leather at one another from the opening seconds.

Sharaf might have been looking to bully his way into control, but Asplund was solid with his counterpunching. And as Sharaf’s production slowed, Asplund seemed to have some sort of extra gas tank as a heavyweight. He continued to land his flurries, at one point busting Sharaf up around his face.

Asplund went 170 for 292 in significant strikes, a three-round UFC heavyweight record. And he needed just 8:49 to do it. Because in the middle of the second round, after Sharaf barely survived one near-finishing onslaught of strikes at the end of the first, Asplund continued to pour things on until the referee waved the fight off.

But what topped everything he did during that was the message that Steven Asplund said after the fight, telling the story of being raised by his parents. His father, Kevin, in fact, fought against the likes of Tim Johnson, Bobby Lashley, and Brett Rogers in his career. Steven Asplund’s nickname, “Concrete”, is the very same one used by his father.

“They fought for everything that they had,” Asplund said. “Built up three boys bigger than my father, with all due respect. [My father] sat here, tried to train and fight, have a full-time job to support us. And to be able to make it to the UFC, and to have my debut, to share it with my father, the most beautiful wonderful man I know, please give it up for this man.”

That has led Steven Asplund to trying to create the perfect life for his own family, including his wife, Elizabeth, and their young daughter.

He then had a message for anyone who feels like they are not worthy in life – they are and they shouldn’t give up.

“I was fat. I was bullied my whole life, man. I just want every other little kid that’s been bullied, or felt like they’re not good enough or worthy, you are. You don’t have to be ashamed of your body. I look disgusting; I know I do. And a lot of people have a lot of s*** to say. Be confident!”

A legendary performance in more ways than one in your UFC debut (and a performance bonus on top of it!) Hats off to Steven Asplund.