LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 27: Michael Aswell reacts after the conclusion of a featherweight fight against Bogdan Grad of Romania during Dana White’s Contender Series season eight, week three on August 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Record: 9-2
Age: 24
Height: 5’8″
Weight: Featherweight
Birthplace: Houston
Next fight: Dec. 15 vs. Dorian Ramos (8-2) at Fury FC 99 in Houston (UFC Fight Pass)
Background: A life-long athlete, Michael Aswell was introduced to Saul Soliz’s gym for jiu-jitsu classes in eighth grade. He started competing around Texas, then picked up wrestling in high school. Weighing 205-210 pounds, Aswell burned off 60 pounds ahead of his amateur debut at featherweight at age 17. He lost that fight but then won five more before he turned professional. He won his first seven pro fights before a loss to current UFC fighter Yadier del Valle. Aswell won two after that, including a Fury FC title bout. Those earned him a crack on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024. While he did not win the bout or a contract, his gutsy performance had the UFC CEO praising Aswell and saying he was on the short list. Another win should push him through the door.
In his own words: “In my head, I’ve just been staying ready in case an opportunity fell out. That MSG card came into fruition, the Onama fight, it was everything that I thought. I was ready and could make weight. I could make 145 and I thought I was next up, but I never got the call. In my head, I was like, ‘If I didn’t get that call, I don’t think I’m going to get another one.’ … I just need to stay active and stay ready. As soon as that happened, I called (Fury FC promoter) Eric Garcia and was like, ‘Yo Eric, I need a fight. What do we got available?’
“… I learned in my Contender fight that I need to stay more active and change it up a little bit, throw more variations, add some low kicks or add more body punches or just kicks in general. I think for me just being more creative out there (will help). It was a big opportunity and a big stage and I didn’t want to mess up. I thought maybe I was just holding back a bit because I didn’t want to mess up. I kept it very simple. That’s on me. I just have got to be proactive and add more power shots instead of touches. There are a lot of things.
“… I’ve known (I’m ready) for a while. I’ve trained with the best since I was an amateur. I had coach Saul Soliz as my coach when I started in the MMA game. That guy would tell you straight up if you had it or you don’t. He told me I had it and he said if I kept working I was going to get it. Once he passed, I went to Kansas City and I was training with Glory for a bit before all the stuff happened. They had 10 UFC guys in the room and I was competing with them. Onama, I was literally training with Onama every day. We were training partners in that room for months and he liked the way I worked.”
