Robelis Despaigne
| Robelis Despaigne | |
|---|---|
| Born | Robelis Despaigne Sanquet[1] 9 August 1988 Santiago de Cuba, Cuba |
| Other names | The Big Boy |
| Height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Weight | 258 lb (117 kg; 18 st 6 lb) |
| Division | Heavyweight |
| Reach | 87 in (221 cm) |
| Style | Taekwondo |
| Fighting out of | Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
| Rank | Black belt in Taekwondo |
| Years active | 2022–present |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 5 |
| Wins | 5 |
| By knockout | 5 |
| Losses | 0 |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Robelis Despaigne Sanquet (born 9 August 1988) is a Cuban professional mixed martial artist and taekwondo practitioner.[2][3] He currently competes in the Heavyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Background[edit]
Robelis Despaigne spent his formative years in Cuba, where he began practicing taekwondo at nine years old. Seven years into his training, Despaigne earned a spot on the national taekwondo team—a position he held for 15 years. The pinnacle of his taekwondo career came in 2012 when he represented Cuba in the Olympic Games held in London, clinching a bronze medal in the heavyweight category.[4]
In 2012, amidst rumblings of dissatisfaction with the state of sports in Cuba, he decided to make a significant shift. "I was losing love for the sport in 2012. A lot was going on in Cuba where I wasn’t really happy about the sport,” Despaigne explained. Encouraged by his coach to explore mixed martial arts (MMA), he initially hesitated due to concerns about the knockout-heavy reputation of the sport. Eventually, after watching fights and realizing his potential, Despaigne made the decision to venture into the world of MMA.[4]
In 2019, he commenced MMA-specific training in Cuba, incorporating grappling into his routine. Faced with pandemic-related delays, Despaigne made the pivotal decision to relocate to Orlando, Florida, in 2022, where he continues to reside and train.[4]
Taekwondo career[edit]
Despaigne won the bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the +80 kg event.[3] He beat Chika Yagazie Chukwumerije in the first round, before losing to Anthony Obame in sudden death in the quarterfinal. Because Obame reached the final Despaigne was entered into the repechage. There he beat Kaino Thomsen-Fuataga, with the fight stopped because of the points difference. He beat Daba Modibo Keita in his bronze medal match by walkover as Keita could not compete due to injury.[3]
Mixed martial arts career[edit]
Early career[edit]
Despaigne made his MMA debut against Katuma Mulumba on 3 June 2022 at Titan FC 77. He won the bout at the end of the first round via TKO stoppage.[5] He then recorded three fights in 2023, winning all by knockout in less than 20 seconds.[6]
Ultimate Fighting Championship[edit]
Despaigne was signed by the Ultimate Fighting Championship in December 2023[7]
Despaigne faced Josh Parisian on March 9, 2024, at UFC 299.[8] He won the fight via knockout 18 seconds into the first round.[9] This fight earned him the Performance of the Night award.[10]
Despaigne is scheduled to face Waldo Cortes-Acosta on May 11, 2024, at UFC on ESPN 56.[11]
Championships and accomplishments[edit]
Mixed martial arts[edit]
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Performance of the Night (One time) vs. Josh Parisian[10]
- Second fastest finish/knockout by a debuting heavyweight in UFC history (18 seconds) (behind Todd Duffee's 7 seconds)[12]
- Longest reach in UFC history (87" wingspan)[13]
Mixed martial arts record[edit]
| 5 matches | 5 wins | 0 losses |
| By knockout | 5 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 5–0 | Josh Parisian | TKO (punches) | UFC 299 | March 9, 2024 | 1 | 0:18 | Miami, Florida, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 4–0 | Miles Banks | KO (punch) | Fury FC 84 | December 3, 2023 | 1 | 0:04 | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 3–0 | Stevie Payne | TKO (punches) | Fury Challenger Series 7 | September 24, 2023 | 1 | 0:03 | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 2–0 | Travis Gregoire | TKO (punches) | Fury FC 80 | June 25, 2023 | 1 | 0:12 | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Katuma Mulumba | TKO (punches) | Titan FC 77 | June 3, 2022 | 1 | 4:54 | Miramar, Florida, United States | Heavyweight debut. |
References[edit]
- ^ "Olympedia - Robelis Despaigne". Olympedia. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
- ^ "Robelis Despaigne". London2012.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ a b c "Robelis Despaigne Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
- ^ a b c "Hulking new UFC signee Robelis Despaigne details journey from Olympics to MMA, vows to be champion". MMA Junkie. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ "Titan FC 77 Results - Pena vs Wurlitzer". MMA Sucka. 3 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ "Robelis Despaigne MMA Record". Tapology. 6 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
- ^ "UFC signs massive 6-foot-7 Olympian Robelis Despaigne on the spot after 4-second KO". MMA Junkie. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
- ^ "Robelis Despaigne to debut on stacked UFC 299 lineup in Miami". MMA Junkie. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ^ Bitter, Shawn (10 March 2024). "Robelis Despaigne Makes Quick Work Of Parisian With 18 Second KO". Cageside Press. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ a b Dan Hiergesell (9 March 2024). "Bonuses! Dustin Poirier's epic war with Benoit Saint Denis earns FOTN honors - UFC 299". mmamania.com. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
- ^ Sherdog.com. "Robelis Despaigne to Face Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC on ESPN 56 in St. Louis". Sherdog. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ "UFC 299 post-event facts: Dustin Poirier climbs several key all-time lists". MMA Junkie. 10 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ "Robelis Despaigne wins debut at UFC 299 with 18-second technical knockout". www.sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ "Robelis Despaigne MMA Stats". Sherdog. Sherdog. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
External links[edit]
- 1988 births
- Living people
- Cuban male mixed martial artists
- Heavyweight mixed martial artists
- Mixed martial artists utilizing taekwondo
- Cuban male taekwondo practitioners
- Olympic taekwondo practitioners for Cuba
- Taekwondo practitioners at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Olympic bronze medalists for Cuba
- Olympic medalists in taekwondo
- Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Pan American Games medalists in taekwondo
- Pan American Games gold medalists for Cuba
- Summer World University Games medalists in taekwondo
- Sportspeople from Santiago de Cuba
- Central American and Caribbean Games gold medalists for Cuba
- Competitors at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games
- Taekwondo practitioners at the 2011 Pan American Games
- FISU World University Games bronze medalists for Cuba
- World Taekwondo Championships medalists
- Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in taekwondo
- Medalists at the 2011 Summer Universiade
- Medalists at the 2011 Pan American Games
- 21st-century Cuban people