The company Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) decided on Tuesday to release several of its fighters, including Cuban heavyweight Robelis Despaigne, who had generated significant interest among mixed martial arts (MMA) fans in early 2024.
An Olympic bronze medalist in taekwondo from the London 2012 Games, the Santiago de Cuba native had a spectacular debut at UFC 299, where last March he needed just 18 seconds to knock out American Josh Parisian at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
That performance, as devastating as it was brief, placed the so-called “Big Boy” in several news outlets, further supported by his record of four previous fights without losses, all won by knockout.
In the first match, in June 2022, it took 4:54 minutes to defeat Katuna Malumba. In July 2023, against Travis Gregoire, it took just 12 seconds; in September, it was only three seconds against Stevie Payne, and in December, it took four seconds to take down Miles Banks.
Everything was going smoothly, but unfortunately, their last two performances did not meet expectations, and losses are costly in the largest and most recognized organization in this arena.
The MMA Fighting page and the X FC Roster Watch profile reported the dismissal of the 2.01-meter giant following his defeats against the Dominican Waldo Cortés-Acosta in May and the American Austen Lane on October 19, both by decision.
Undoubtedly, Robelis Despaigne did not convince Dana White, the head of the UFC, and we will have to wait to see if he finds opportunities in other organizations. However, he will need to significantly improve his defense and ground game to regain prominence.
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