For most athletes, the path to competing on the global stage follows a familiar roadmap. Years of organized competition, steady progression through amateur ranks, and carefully planned career moves often define the journey.
Regan Upshaw’s story is anything but conventional.
When Upshaw steps into the cage against Paul Elliott at ONE Fight Night 44 on June 6 at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, he will do so carrying one of the more unique athletic backgrounds in combat sports. A former Clemson University football player who won two NCAA Division I national championships, Upshaw’s rise to ONE Championship began long before he ever laced up a pair of MMA gloves.
In fact, it started before he ever played organized football.
“I wasn’t on a team,” Upshaw told Combat Press. “I wasn’t playing football. I just happened to get an opportunity.”
That opportunity came at a Clemson football camp.
Homeschooled for much of his childhood and raised in a household where football was not a primary focus despite his father’s lengthy NFL career, Upshaw spent much of his teenage years training on his own. While other prospects were building résumés on Friday nights under stadium lights, Upshaw was studying elite athletes online and trying to match their strength and conditioning numbers.
“I’d see the top players in the nation and look at what they were benching and squatting,” he said. “Then I’d go train and try to put those same numbers up.”
The self-directed approach paid off.
Despite entering Clemson’s camp with virtually no organized football experience, Upshaw impressed coaches enough to earn a preferred walk-on opportunity from head coach Dabo Swinney. What followed was a remarkable college career that included earning a scholarship, becoming a team captain, setting weight-room records, and winning two national championships.
Looking back, Upshaw sees that experience as validation that success doesn’t always require a traditional path.
“It showed me a lot about life,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be cookie-cutter. You can get an opportunity, show out, and end up somewhere completely different than where you started.”
That mindset would eventually carry him into combat sports.
Although football occupied much of his athletic career, mixed martial arts was never far away. Upshaw grew up watching early MMA events and remained a dedicated fan throughout college. During the offseason at Clemson, he and several teammates worked with a local boxing coach, gaining their first exposure to combat sports training.
The seed had been planted.
After moving to Colorado roughly three years ago, Upshaw found himself surrounded by some of the sport’s most respected coaches and fighters. He initially trained at High Altitude Martial Arts before eventually working with UFC veteran Duane Ludwig at Bang Muay Thai, while also spending considerable time with veteran combat sports athlete and coach Justin Houghton at Pound 4 Pound Muay Thai.
“The best fighters in the world are here. Some of the best coaches in the world are here,” Upshaw said. “It was a no-brainer.”
Colorado’s deep talent pool has accelerated his development. While critics may point to his relatively limited MMA experience, Upshaw believes the quality of his training environment more than compensates for the quantity of fights on his record.
“I train with real top guys and have dog rounds,” he said. “That’s what gives me confidence. Real work. Real rounds.”
That confidence helped him pursue another opportunity in familiar fashion.
Rather than waiting for a major promotion to discover him, Upshaw assembled a highlight reel and sent it out himself.
The approach mirrored the self-made mentality that carried him from an unknown homeschool athlete to a national champion at Clemson.
Soon enough, ONE Championship came calling.
For Upshaw, the opportunity represented more than just a contract. He had long envisioned competing in Asia, where he believes his aggressive fighting style and personality fit naturally. Earlier this year, he traveled to both Japan and Thailand, attending ONE events and soaking in the atmosphere surrounding combat sports in the region.
“It was amazing,” he said. “I know I’ll do very well out there.”
Now comes the next challenge.
Paul Elliott presents a significant test as Upshaw enters the biggest fight of his career to date. While Upshaw and his coaches have studied film, he remains focused primarily on his own preparation rather than his opponent’s résumé.
“My focus is always on my preparation,” he said. “The world will get to see that.”
At 28 years old, Upshaw understands he is still early in his MMA journey. His long-term goals are straightforward: produce exciting fights, entertain fans, and eventually compete for championships.
Most importantly, he wants to enjoy the process.
One lesson he carries from his football career is the importance of appreciating the moment while it’s happening.
“If I could do football over again, I’d have even more fun,” Upshaw said. “I enjoy training. I enjoy competing. I enjoy the moment.”
If all goes according to plan, fans tuning in to ONE Fight Night 44 will witness exactly that.
Asked what viewers can expect when he enters the cage in Bangkok, Upshaw didn’t hesitate.
“Knockout, baby,” he said. “I’m a must-watch fighter.”