DWCS 80 Heavyweight Captures Contract With Stunning Knockout

Originally posted on MMA Sucka | By Hank Strandberg | Last updated Sep 10, 2025 5:48 PM ET

With just a week’s notice, Steven Asplund has cemented his place as the newest heavyweight sensation in the UFC.

Steven Asplund Picks up Huge Win against a Solid Heavyweight Prospect

Originally scheduled to compete on the upcoming LFA 217 card in his native Minnesota this Friday, Asplund received an invitation to vie for a coveted UFC contract in Las Vegas on the popular television show Dana White’s Contender Series. Taking top billing for the event, “Concrete” was given the hefty assignment of trading blows with current CFFC 265-lb champion Anthony Guarascio.

Last seen in action at CFFC 141, Guarascio made waves in the mixed martial arts community by winning the promotion’s heavyweight strap in just his fourth professional bout, starching Contender Series alum Bailey Schoenfelder in less than two minutes. With nearly 14 years of experience in the sport, “The Daywalker” stood as one of the most seasoned opponents that Asplund had faced thus far. Coincidentally, Schoenfelder also held the same record as Asplund when he locked horns with Guarascio at 5-1.

Right out of the gate, both heavyweight bruisers began to swing with wholly bad intentions, throwing haymakers that were liable to decapitate a normal human being. After just 16 seconds, however, the superior size and reach of Asplund allowed the Midwesterner to land a thudding hook that dropped Guarascio to the canvas. A short volley of ground-and-pound strikes then swiftly ended the contest, with Steven Asplund securing his UFC contract with one of the most electrifying performances ever seen on the show.

Asplund’s journey to the big leagues has always been a part of a family saga

Earning the third fastest knockout in Contender Series history, Asplund immediately thrusted himself into top prospect status by dusting the then hot and undefeated Guarascio with just a single week to prepare. Although his efforts inside the cage was what allowed him to enter the largest mixed martial arts company in the world, his expedition through the realm of combat sports has always been a family affair, as Asplund’s father, Kevin Asplund, was also a professional fighter.

Making his debut all the way back in 2002, the elder Asplund had at one time racked up an impressive 15-fight winning streak which lasted for almost an entire decade. While he would never reach any amazing heights in mixed martial arts, “Concrete” did cross paths with a few notable names in the forms of Brett Rogers and WWE standout Bobby Lashley.

Gearing up to carry on his father’s nickname into the UFC, the younger Asplund has already made his intentions known that he is eager to fight anyone at any time in any location. With his stellar boxing and hilarious microphone skills, the organization’s heavyweight division may just have a legitimate threat to look out for in the sensational brawler from Minnesota.