Minnesota man loses 300 pounds to pursue dream of MMA championship

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (FOX 9) - Ask anyone who's struggled with their weight before, and they'll tell you what you likely already know: Losing it is hard.

But one Minnesota man has defied the odds stacked against him — losing around 300 pounds, and becoming an amateur fighter with a record of 9-0 in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) since he began his journey, and nearly unrecognizable transformation.

With his next fight on Sept. 20 at the Mystic Lake Showroom, Steven Asplund believes this is truly just the beginning of accomplishing his goals, and inspiring others along the way to them.

Hungry but not happy

It's fair to say Asplund's always had a hunger in more ways than one.

As a child growing up, he admits to having a healthy appetite seemingly since the start.

"My whole family – we're a big family. It was, ‘If you're hungry, finish your food, go get a second plate’. And my mom can cook," Asplund told FOX 9.

"I didn't have a problem grabbing the second or third and sometimes fourth. When I started to make money and work, I'd go to Sam's Club and I'd get a couple 12 packs of cookies, and a 36-pack of Mountain Dew. I'd sit downstairs in my basement and play video games the whole weekend."

He played football in high school, and was recruited as a defensive lineman with scholarship potential, but admits he didn’t take his opportunities seriously enough at that point.

"I thought football was going to be the end all. I had D1 scholarships going into my junior, senior year," Asplund says. "And as soon as they asked for my [academic] transcript, they all dissipated. That was a difficult reality to understand. That came from a lack of dedication, lack of consistency, lack of hard work, and all of that carried through to my young adult life."

In his early 20s, as far as his driver’s license was concerned, his heaviest weight was 498 pounds – though he’s quick to admit it was likely higher than that at one point.

"I moved out of my parents’ house as soon as I graduated, and freedom happened. If I wanted food, I could go get whatever I wanted… I was eating deep-dish pizza at least three times a week. It was a nightmare because I wasn't working out consistently. I wasn't doing anything with those calories," Asplund says, noting he initially became a pizza delivery driver out of high school. "Then for a year and a half more is basically when I started to spiral out of control further."

When the pads came off, and playing on the field was done, the pounds stayed on. Until he knew something needed to change.

Heartbreak creates change

Like many in life, Asplund credits heartbreak as part of the motivation behind reaching a crossroads and heading in a new direction.

"I went through a tough heartbreak when I was like 18, 19 [years old]. We were together for almost four years, and after we broke up, it sent me into a tough mental state just because it was my first real relationship," Asplund says. "I wasn't doing much with my life. I had no purpose. I had no guidance."

He also credits a high school friend and a newfound love for MMA as creating the pivotal change.

Asplund started working out, but success wasn’t immediate – noting a weight loss of nearly 90 pounds, before putting more back on during the pandemic.

But after his first amateur fight, he was hooked on a new path forward.

"I think the adrenaline rush is one of the biggest draws to me. After I experienced my first fight – it's no adrenaline rush I've ever experienced before," Asplund says. "Now it's something that I live for, and have fallen in love with… It's given me a newfound discipline. It's given me a new purpose."

He now trains at least three to six times a week.

He’s never alone either, quickly noting he’s found extra strength within the surrounding community.

"I couldn't imagine in a million years that I would have 20-some odd, very close friends in a short amount of time," Asplund says. "We literally shed blood, sweat and tears together. This is a beautiful sport, considering the amount of heinous stuff that comes with it – all the blood, and getting hit in the face. It's given me a newfound appreciation for the hard work that everyone around me puts in. My teammates have to show up for me, and I have to show up for them."

‘A big heart too’

Asplund first met Derek Getzel, now his head coach, in late 2021 – when, at 23 years old, he was a year into his weight-loss journey.

"The first thing I noticed was he was a big kid, even after already losing 100 pounds, but he could move so quickly for how big he was. He was very respectful, and wanted to dive right in," says Getzel, who trains at McCunes Martial Arts in Brooklyn Park. "It was all about getting rid of the bad habits, and installing new ones."

Getzel knew his father, Kevin, who also fought in the early 2000s, and saw a natural ability in him.

"Once he started to learn some actual skills, the confidence just grew in him," Getzel says.

Beyond the ability to throw and take punches, Getzel says Steven’s demeanor is perhaps his biggest asset.

"He’s very passionate. He has a big heart too. You wouldn’t think by looking at him, since he’s a pretty intimidating-looking guy," Getzel says. "He’s a big softy. All around, he really cares about those around him. He’s loyal and passionate about what he’s doing. When the opportunities come, he will be ready – one step at a time."

UFC dreams

Already having accomplished something in his weight-loss journey that seems impossible to many, Asplund is still hungry for a bigger dream – the chance to fight in the UFC.

According to the Tapology database, which ranks MMA and combat sports fighters all around the world, Asplund is currently No. 3 out of 106 active heavy weights, and No. 1 in Minnesota out of 15.

Since beginning fighting, he is 2-0 as a pro in the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA), 1-0 under the Ignite brand umbrella, and 6-0 as an amateur – creating a 9-0 win streak.

His next fight will arguably be his toughest yet – against Denzel Freeman in LFA 193, on Sept. 20, at the Mystic Lake Showroom.

"I have the biggest fight of my life coming up, and I know it," he says.

Whether or not Asplund ever fights in the UFC remains to be seen, but he undoubtedly has a new outlook on life from when he first started.

"The struggle, the process, the destination – I do believe that this has given me a new lease on life. I wouldn't have lived past my age currently if I would have stayed on that track," he says.

If you’re struggling with your own weight-loss journey, he’s quick to say it’s truly never too late.

"Take that first step, because that's the toughest part – getting up and getting yourself to those doors," Asplund says. "You're going to have every little voice in your head telling you can't do it, ‘It's not worth it. It's not going to work.’ You have to believe, because if you don't, the dream is dead. Just take the first step."