Robelis Despaigne

Overview

Eighteen seconds. That is how long Robelis Despaigne needed to knock out Josh Parisian on his UFC debut, and it remains the only finish of his UFC run.

"The Big Boy" is a Cuban heavyweight who trains out of MMA Temple. He stands 6'7" with an 84" reach and fights from an orthodox stance. His UFC record is 2-2, inside a 7-2-0 professional record across all promotions. One of his two UFC wins came by knockout, the other by split decision. Both losses went the distance.

He is a heavyweight who rarely gets hit, not one who lives on volume.

UFC Career

Despaigne debuted at UFC 299 and ended Parisian in 0:18 of round one. It was the fastest start possible.

The next two fights went the other way. Waldo Cortes Acosta, an opponent our model rates as strong, took a unanimous decision over three rounds at a Fight Night in May 2024. Austen Lane did the same that October. Two fights, two full distances, two losses on the cards.

The most recent result is a split decision over Tai Tuivasa at UFC 331, which goes the full three rounds. That win ends the two-fight skid and sends him into his next fight with a one-fight winning streak.

Two of his four UFC fights ended inside a single round or went the full fifteen minutes, and nothing in between. That is a small sample, but he either ends it early or fights the clock.

Fighting Style

Despaigne is a low-volume striker who is hard to hit. He lets few shots through, and what he does throw tends to land. He just doesn't throw a lot, so his output sits below the UFC average.

He almost never looks for grappling. He rarely shoots for takedowns and hunts for submissions far less than most fighters. On the defensive side he is tougher to take down than most, so he can keep fights standing when he wants to.

His UFC record is 2-2. His one finish is a first-round knockout, and his other win came by decision. Both of his losses also went the distance.

Notable Wins

• Josh Parisian — KO/TKO, round 1 (0:18), UFC 299: O'Malley vs. Vera 2 (2024)
• Tai Tuivasa — split decision, round 3, UFC 331: Van vs. Pantoja 2 (2026)

Quick Facts

• Division: Heavyweight
• UFC record: 2-2
• Professional record (all promotions): 7-2-0
• UFC debut: March 2024
• Stance: Orthodox
• Height / reach: 6'7" / 84"
• Team: MMA Temple
• Born: Cuba