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Robelis Despaigne Record, stats and next fight

7-2-0 (W-L-D)

6Wins by knockout
0Wins by submission
6First round finishes

Stats and record

9Pro fights
86%Finish rate
4UFC fights
0Title fights
1Performance bonuses
2Win streak

Wins by method

KO / TKO6 (86 %)
Submission0 (0 %)
Decision1 (14 %)

Losses by method

KO / TKO0 (0 %)
Submission0 (0 %)
Decision2 (100 %)

Profile

Age
38 years
Born
September 9, 1988
Birthplace
Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
Height
6'7" (201 cm)
Weight
240 lbs (109 kg)
Reach
84" (213 cm)
Division
Heavyweight
Fighting out of
Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Team
MMA Temple
UFC debut
March 9, 2024

Fight history

  1. Win

    vs Tai Tuivasa

    UFC 331 · Sep 19, 2026 · Los Angeles, California, United States

    Method
    Decision (split)
    Round
    3
    Time
    5:00
  2. Win

    vs Junior dos Santos

    MVP MMA: Rousey vs. Carano · May 16, 2026 · Inglewood, California, United States

    Method
    KO (punches)
    Round
    1
    Time
    2:59
  3. Loss

    vs Austen Lane

    UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Pereira · Oct 19, 2024 · Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

    Method
    Decision (unanimous)
    Round
    3
    Time
    5:00
  4. Loss

    vs Waldo Cortes-Acosta

    UFC on ESPN: Lewis vs. Nascimento · May 11, 2024 · St. Louis, Missouri, United States

    Method
    Decision (unanimous)
    Round
    3
    Time
    5:00
  5. Win

    vs Josh Parisian Bonus

    UFC 299 · Mar 9, 2024 · Miami, Florida, United States

    Method
    TKO (punches)
    Round
    1
    Time
    0:18
  6. Win

    vs Miles Banks

    Fury FC 84 · Dec 3, 2023 · Houston, Texas, United States

    Method
    KO (punch)
    Round
    1
    Time
    0:04
  7. Win

    vs Stevie Payne

    Fury FC: Challenger Series 7 · Sep 24, 2023 · Houston, Texas, United States

    Method
    TKO (punches)
    Round
    1
    Time
    0:03
  8. Win

    vs Travis Gregoire

    Fury FC 80 · Jun 25, 2023 · Houston, Texas, United States

    Method
    TKO (punches)
    Round
    1
    Time
    0:12
Show 1 earlier fights
  1. Win

    vs Katuma Mulumba

    Titan FC 77 · Jun 3, 2022 · Miramar, Florida, United States

    Method
    TKO (punches)
    Round
    1
    Time
    4:54

Analysis

Robelis Despaigne beat Tai Tuivasa by split decision on September 20, 2026, at UFC 331, marking his return to the organization. The Cuban heavyweight carries an MMA record of 7 wins and 2 losses, built in just nine professional fights.

Born on September 9, 1988, in Santiago de Cuba, Robelis Despaigne came from elite-level taekwondo before turning to MMA. He won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics in the over-80-kilogram division, then bronze at the 2013 and 2015 Taekwondo World Championships, bronze at the 2011 Universiade and gold at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games. He holds a fourth-degree black belt in taekwondo. Based in Orlando, Florida, he trains at MMA Temple and turned professional in MMA in June 2022.

UFC Career

Robelis Despaigne strung together four wins on the American regional circuit between 2022 and 2023, three of them finished in under twenty seconds with Fury Fighting Championship. The UFC signed him and he made his debut at UFC 299 on March 10, 2024, with an 18-second KO over Josh Parisian, the second-fastest finish by a heavyweight debutant in company history behind Todd Duffee, earning a Performance of the Night bonus. He then lost back-to-back unanimous decisions, to Waldo Cortes-Acosta in May 2024 and then to Austen Lane in October 2024, which led the UFC not to renew his contract. Despaigne then turned to Karate Combat, a discipline separate from MMA, where he strung together several wins before capturing that organization’s heavyweight title in December 2025 against Sam Alvey. In MMA, he returned in May 2026 by knocking out Junior Dos Santos in the first round at an MVP MMA event, which earned him a new UFC contract in July 2026. There he met Tai Tuivasa again at UFC 331 on September 20, 2026, and won by split decision after three full rounds.

Fighting Style

His background as an Olympic taekwondo athlete shows in his fast kicks and his ability to close out a fight in seconds, as seen in his three finishes in under twenty seconds with Fury Fighting Championship and his 18-second KO in his UFC debut. Of his 7 MMA wins, 6 came by KO or TKO and none by submission. After his run in Karate Combat, specialized media reported targeted work on his ground game to address the main weakness exposed during his two UFC losses, both decisions that went past the first round. His win over Tai Tuivasa, by decision after three full rounds, confirms a new ability to go the distance against an opponent who did not fold in the early exchanges.

Record

  • Professional MMA record: 7 wins, 2 losses, 0 draws
  • Wins by KO or TKO: 6
  • Wins by submission: 0
  • Wins by decision: 1
  • Title: Karate Combat heavyweight champion since December 2025, a discipline separate from MMA
  • Honors: Performance of the Night bonus at UFC 299

Fact File

  • Name: Robelis Despaigne
  • Nickname: The Bad Boy
  • Born: September 9, 1988, in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
  • Nationality: Cuban
  • Height: 6’7″ (201 cm)
  • Reach: 7’0″ (213 cm)
  • Division: heavyweight
  • Team: MMA Temple, Orlando, Florida
  • Coach: not specified in available sources
  • Base: taekwondo, fourth-degree black belt, ground wrestling

Sources

Data updated on September 28, 2026. Record and measurements cross-checked against official results and Wikipedia. Text written by the MMA Official editorial team.

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