Since being released from the UFC, Robelis Despaigne has compiled an impressive record in Karate Combat with seven consecutive victories, including six finishes. Four of those stoppages came within the first 20 seconds of the fight. Most notably, Despaigne scored a clean knockout victory over former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos. The post acknowledges that Despaigne, now 37 years old, has very limited wrestling skills and is a one-dimensional striker. However, it argues that his UFC release was a mistake, as his knockout power and massive reach would have made him dangerous against lower-tier opponents and produced highlight-reel finishes.
Robelis Despaigne has made a strong case that his UFC departure was premature, running up a seven-fight winning streak in Karate Combat that includes a knockout of former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos.
Despaigne, 37, carries a 5-2 UFC record into his post-Octagon career but has looked like a different fighter since moving on. The Cuban heavyweight, who stands six-foot-seven with an extraordinary 84-inch reach, has finished six of his seven Karate Combat opponents, four of them within the first 20 seconds of their respective bouts. He lands 2.11 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 59 percent, numbers that reflect a selective, power-based approach. His record shows zero takedowns and zero submission attempts per 15 minutes, making him an unambiguous one-dimensional striker — a limitation that likely contributed to the UFC cutting ties.
Dos Santos, nicknamed Cigano, is a 42-year-old Brazilian with a 21-9 professional record and a résumé that includes a UFC heavyweight title reign. He remains one of the most technically polished boxers to compete in heavyweight MMA, averaging 4.49 significant strikes per minute with a 47 percent accuracy rate. Despite that pedigree, he was unable to avoid Despaigne's power on the night.
Why it matters
- The win over a former UFC heavyweight champion adds legitimate credibility to Despaigne's post-UFC run.
- At six-foot-seven with a 213-centimeter reach, Despaigne presents sizing problems that few heavyweights anywhere can match.
- The four sub-20-second finishes suggest his one-punch stopping power translates well to Karate Combat's format.
- The result has renewed debate over whether the UFC was too quick to release a fighter capable of producing highlight finishes against recognizable names.
