Steven Asplund vs. Vitor Petrino: UFC Vegas 114’s Battle of ‘Best vs. Worst Physiques’
steven asplund will step into the cage against Vitor Petrino on Saturday, March 14 at the Meta APEX in a fight billed as a clash of contrasting bodies and styles. The bout, on the UFC Vegas 114 prelims, comes with added narrative after Petrino was briefly listed at No. 15 in the heavyweight rankings and then removed days before the event.
Steven Asplund’s comeback and the physique narrative
Steven Asplund has made his personal history part of the matchup storyline. He has said he once weighed more than 400 pounds before losing a substantial amount of weight and that the transformation left him with excess skin fans sometimes notice when he competes. Asplund leaned into the contrast with Petrino at media day, saying of his opponent, “Bro, he’s a monster — why is he fighting? He could be a model, what the f—k, ” and calling the fight a “battle of the worst physique and the best physique in the Heavyweight division. ”
Asplund also framed the matchup in personal terms, adding, “I’m excited to show the fat boys some love this Saturday. ” He enters the bout as a rising prospect who won his UFC debut with a bonus-winning knockout over Sean Sharaf in December.
Vitor Petrino’s momentum, ranking reversal and heavyweight comfort
Petrino arrives at Meta APEX riding an unbeaten stretch since moving up to heavyweight and with recent big finishes in the division. He tapped out Austen Lane in one round in July 2025 and later scored a third-round knockout of Thomas Petersen that earned a performance bonus. Petrino has also collected three bonus awards in eight octagon appearances, each adding extra money for wins over Petersen, Modestas Bukauskas and Anton Turkalj.
Days before the March 14 fight, Petrino’s brief appearance at No. 15 in the UFC heavyweight rankings was reversed and another fighter was slotted back into that position. Petrino downplayed the change, saying, “There’s not much to say, really. I don’t know how that ranking works… but I’m not in a rush. If they took me out, I know that sooner or later I’ll be back again. ” He said the removal delayed plans a bit but wasn’t surprising and predicted he would return to the top of the division with the right results.
Petrino has explained the benefit of fighting at heavyweight over his previous light heavyweight tenure. He said the change made him a better athlete — now able to sleep, eat more freely and recover — and has promised an aggressive performance against Asplund. He stated he’s chasing the fight-night bonus money and predicted a finish “before the third round. ”
Stakes, bad blood and what a win means
The matchup carries extra edge because Petrino’s knockout of Thomas Petersen came against Asplund’s close friend and training partner, adding a revenge angle to the bout. A decisive win for Petrino would likely fast-track a return to ranking consideration, while a victory for Asplund would cement his status as a prospect to watch in the heavyweight class.
Both fighters have signaled they will pursue finishes: Petrino has publicly targeted a bonus and an early stoppage, and Asplund has used the physical contrast and personal stakes to motivate his approach. The fight is set for the prelims of UFC Vegas 114 on March 14 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas; the winner will leave with momentum and a clearer claim to the next meaningful step in the division.
