Asplund and Pat Throw Down in a Heavyweight Firefight
Steven Asplund and Guilherme “Kong” Pat stepped into the cage at UFC Vegas 120 in Las Vegas with identical 1–1 UFC records and a shared hunger to climb the heavyweight ladder. Their August 8, 2026 showdown delivered exactly what fans crave from rising big men: pressure, power, and pure chaos.
Closing the Prelims With Violence
Asplund entered the bout looking to rebound from his loss to Vitor Petrino, while Pat aimed to avenge a previous defeat to Asplund’s teammate Thomas Petersen. Both fighters came out aggressive, immediately locking horns in clinch battles and trading knees, elbows, and heavy punches. Pat’s early leg kicks slowed Asplund’s advance, but the Minnesota heavyweight cracked him late in Round 1 with a clean right hand that sent Pat crashing to the canvas. Pat survived the ensuing ground-and-pound, setting the stage for a wild second round.
Momentum Swings and Knockdowns
Round 2 saw Pat roar back with sharp jabs and a slick left hook that dropped Asplund. Instead of swarming, Pat chose to clinch, giving Asplund time to recover. The round became a gritty back-and-forth, with both men landing clean shots and both scoring knockdowns in a messy, high-pressure exchange. Pat’s outside boxing looked crisp, but Asplund’s relentless desire to crash into the pocket kept the fight close heading into the final frame.
Asplund’s Final Push
Fatigue set in for both heavyweights in Round 3, but Asplund found another gear. A lead high kick wobbled Pat badly, forcing him into yet another clinch. Asplund hunted a standing guillotine, then returned to elbows and short punches inside. Pat landed a few clean body shots and continued to tie Asplund up, but the American’s pressure and damage output sealed the deal. After 15 grueling minutes, all three judges scored the bout 29–28 for Steven Asplund, earning him a unanimous decision victory.
What the Win Means
The victory pushes Asplund to 8–2 professionally and puts him back in the win column. Pat, now 6–2, showed grit and dangerous power but couldn’t overcome Asplund’s pressure-heavy style. Both men proved they belong in the UFC heavyweight mix, but on this night, Asplund’s resilience and late-round surge made the difference.
Sources
- Cageside Press — UFC Vegas 120 recap
- UFCalendar — Official fight result and statistics
- LowKickMMA — Fight recap and analysis
Article Tags
UFC, UFC Vegas 120, Steven Asplund, Guilherme Pat, Heavyweight MMA, Fight Recap, Combat Sports
