Preview: DWCS Season 3, Episode 4

Stephen Regman vs. Antonio Arroyo

The bright lights should not affect Regman’s performance much, considering the fact that he has competed within some of the premier regional promotions, including the Legacy Fighting Alliance, Cage Fury Fighting Championships and Ring of Combat. He has compiled a 9-3 professional record and appears to be peaking, as he has handled his business in each of his last four contests. “The Predator” is a technically sound striker who prefers to work from a distance. The 27-year-old fighter pops his opponents with a stinging jab, which sets up his follow-up power strikes. He likes to lull his opponents into a false sense of security with his low output before suddenly bursting at them with a flurry of strikes. If he lands a clean shot, the New Jersey native packs enough force to put his opponent flat on his back. Regman loves to time a flying knee when his counterpart is on the offensive. He does not do well when he is forced to fight off of his back and fails to keep his opponent on the end of his strikes. The Killer B Compact Sports team member dispatches strong kicks to several areas of his opponent. “The Predator” is burdened with weak wrestling skills. The veteran fighter has been taken down in several bouts in the past but is wiry enough to scramble back to his feet. He has only won one fight by way of submission.

Arroyo returns to the Octagon after picking up a unanimous decision win during the Brazilian version of DWCS in 2018. The 30-year-old owns an 8-2 record and has rattled off four straight wins to put himself on the cusp of receiving a callup to the UFC. The Brazilian is a physically imposing middleweight. He is a southpaw striker but often switches stances so he can attack from different angles. He is a bit of a brawler, throwing hard hooks in every exchange. The Jackson-Wink MMA export can end a fight with a single punch, but it is his kicks that truly are dangerous. He smashes his opponent’s liver with whipping blows that have sent fighters crashing to the canvas in the past. Arroyo surprises his counterpart by occasionally attacking with a spinning strike. The DWCS alum has good takedown ability from a distance and inside the clinch. However, when the fight hits the mat, he usually looks to regain some of his energy by stalling in his opponent’s guard instead of trying to advance position, land some blows or end the fight with a submission. Arroyo needs to refuel his gas tank during the fight because he often throws every single blow with maximum effort.

This is an intriguing matchup. Regman is going to have to stay on the outside and not be drawn into the pocket to brawl with the Brazilian fighter. Though the American has the ability to avoid the most powerful blows from Arroyo, he still figures to be at a disadvantage. Arroyo’s kicks should rack up points, but unless he lands a knockout shot, expect him to cruise to a decision while once again failing to secure a UFC contract.