The Big Lead

Former UFC prospect claims 12-second knockout win at Karate Combat 52

Robelis Despaigne isn't paid by the hour, and he wasted no time in earning his win bonus in Miami this weekend.

By Simon Head

Mar 9, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Robelis Despaigne reacts after defeating Josh Parisian, not shown, during UFC 299 at Kayesa Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Mar 9, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Robelis Despaigne reacts after defeating Josh Parisian, not shown, during UFC 299 at Kayesa Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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It didn't work out for Robelis Despaigne in the UFC, but it seems that business is picking up for the Cuban knockout artist now he's become a fighting free agent.

Despaigne, who captured Olympic taekwondo bronze at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, joined the UFC as a much-vaunted striker, and immediately made a big impact, winning his first fight in just 18 seconds.

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For Despaigne, that was actually quite a long fight. His prior three appearances before joining the UFC saw him claim a trio of knockouts in a combined 19 seconds as he took the oft-used combat sports phrase, "don't blink" to new levels.

However, Despaigne's Achilles heel was quickly discovered in the UFC, as his last two opponents shut him down with wrestling to claim victories over the Cuban. That led to Despaigne's departure from the UFC.

These days, Despaigne is showcasing his striking talents in Karate Combat, a spectacular fighting promotion that sees combatants do battle in "The Pit," where strikes are fair game, but "lay-and-pray" wrestling is not.

Despaigne made an immediate impact on his promotional debut back in December with a four-second knockout of Poland's Dominik Jedrzejczyk. And this past weekend, he repeated the feat with a 12-second KO of experienced MMA fighter Marcos Brigagao.

It looks like Karate Combat and Robelis Despaigne could be a dream combination, but that might not be the big-punching Cuban's only fighting home.

Despaigne was also drafted in the inaugural GFL Draft, as the newly-created Global Fight League gets set for its inaugural season of team-based MMA action.

Despaigne, who trains in Florida, was drafted to Team Miami, where he'll team up with compatriots Hector Lombard and Yoel Romero, as well as former UFC champions Junior Dos Santos and Anthony "Showtime" Pettis.

It means we could see Despaigne competing across two disciplines in 2025, as he continues his rise in Karate Combat alongside a season of MMA with the GFL.

Wherever he does fight, he'll be must-see TV.

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