Robelis Despaigne assures improved ground game ahead of MMA return
The final time Robelis Despaigne was seen in MMA, his hype had hit an all-time low.
Not way back, Despaigne (5-2) was thought of one of essentially the most attention-grabbing prospects within the UFC’s heavyweight division. The Cuban entered the game with a number of worldwide taekwondo medals, together with a bronze on the 2012 Olympics. His begin in MMA did not disappoint. Despaigne scored 4 vicious, first-round KO finishes earlier than getting the decision to the massive leagues. He debuted within the UFC in 2024, stopping Josh Perisan in simply 18 seconds to win a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
However, Despaigne then dropped unanimous selections to Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Austin Lane, which prompted his launch from the UFC. He was outgrappled and dominated in each defeats.
Almost two years later, Despaigne returns to MMA after shelling out some nasty KO’s in Karate Combat. He makes his return at Saturday’s inaugural MVP MMA card in opposition to ex-UFC champion Junior Dos Santos.
“I never imagined this,” Despaigne informed Let’s talk MMA in Spanish. “I thought I would get the call from PFL or just continue in Karate Combat. This is a very good opportunity because this is a new company. It’s on Netflix, and I’m part of the first MMA event on Netflix. That’s a plus for me. Also, the fight is against Junior Dos Santos. Everyone knows the quality he brings. I think this is going to be a good fight, and a difficult one, because of his experience and everything he brings to a fight. He’s a former UFC champion, and you “cannot take him evenly.”
Despaigne has a big opportunity to bounce back from the pair of defeats he experienced in his most recent MMA bouts and reignite the fire that had him as one of the most talked-about heavyweights in MMA.
Although he hasn’t fought in MMA since 2024, Despaigne assures he’s continued to work on his MMA game. He knows his strong point isn’t grappling, which is why he remained diligent about improving despite not needing it for his most recent fights.
“Ever since I left the UFC, I stored coaching wrestling as a result of I all the time had in thoughts a return to MMA,” Despaigne explained. “I knew that sooner or later a combat was going to come back my method, whether or not it was a PFL or one other firm, so I stored up my coaching, and I stored bettering my game. This complete time I’ve been bettering and dealing on my MMA game.”
Despaigne believes his wrestling will be put to a test on Saturday. Dos Santos (21-10) is known to be primarily a boxer, but Despaigne isn’t too sure the former UFC champ will try to strike with him for long.
“I believe that is going to be his plan,” Despaigne said when asked if he expects Dos Santos to grapple. “That’s what I believe he’ll do. I believe that he in all probability has confidence in his boxing, as he is a very good striker, however we’re ready for every thing. We do not know what his technique might be, however I believe he’ll wrestle. I believe he’ll attempt to management on the ground and in opposition to the fence.”
This article initially appeared on MMA Junkie: Robelis Despaigne assures improved ground game ahead of MMA return