LAS VEGAS — Steven Asplund introduced himself to UFC audiences with a record-breaking performance, but he knows there’s still work to be done.
In the preliminaries of UFC on ESPN 73, Asplund (7-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) stopped Shawn Sharaf in the second round with a relentless pace and high volume of punches — a rarity in the heavyweight division.
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“I appreciate everyone saying it was an impressive performance and I feel like I was hit harder than I should have been, to be honest,” Asplund told reporters at the post-match press conference.
Asplund looked conflicted in his debut. On the one hand, he was definitely hurt by Sharaf (4-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC), but on the other hand, he set a stunning three-round heavyweight record (170) in a fight that failed to make it to the second round. That total was also good enough for second place in the five-round heavyweight contest behind Daniel Cormier vs. Stipe Miocic in their rematch at UFC 241.
“If Sean could just hold on a little longer, I could beat the shit out of DC,” Asplund said with a laugh. “I’m 100 percent happy with my performance. I feel like if everything goes well I can get this done. That being said, I’m just getting here. I’m four years into my journey and I’m just growing. This is just the beginning of Steven’s Concrete.”
Asplund is a welcome addition to the UFC’s heavyweight division, not only because of his ability inside the cage, but his personality that stands out from the rest. Not only was he always willing to discuss his transformation from weighing over 500 pounds to being a boxer at the highest level, but his witty responses on the microphone created a relatable, entertaining character.
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Looking ahead, Asplund is willing to take in any available advice for further growth.
“I want to see the best version of myself,” Asplund said. “I want to reach all the potential that I can. I’m just getting here and I’m not even at the cliff of who I’m supposed to be, so we’re just going to continue to grow and try to figure out what the next step is. Hopefully the UFC wants me to be active.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Steven Asplund focuses on growth after record-breaking UFC debut