Robelis Despaigne
Olympic Result: Bronze, 2012
The newest Olympian to find a home in the UFC, Robelis Despaigne won a Bronze medal in Taekwondo representing Cuba at the 2012 games in London. Anthony Obame of Gabon took silver, while Carlo Molfetta of Italy won gold.
Unlike many of the names on this list, Despaigne’s story is still very much being written. In 2019, he made the jump to MMA, initially training in Cuba before shifting to Orlando, Florida a few years later. Taking his first pro fight in 2022, “The Big Boy” went 4-0 on the regional circuit before signing with the UFC as a very, very green talent. He made his promotional debut in Miami at UFC 299, smashing Josh Parisian in just 18 seconds.
Now 5-0, Despaigne had barely over a round’s worth of live fight experience. While his pro debut went to the 4:54 mark of round one, his next four bouts had a cumulative fight time of just 37 seconds. Combined. Three second and four second victories feature on his record, and the TKO of Parisian earned Robelis Despaigne a Performance of the Night bonus at UFC 299.
Despaigne returned to action at UFC St. Louis in May, taking on former baseball pitcher Waldo Cortes-Acosta. That night was a very different story: Despaigne was dragged the distance, fighting fifteen minutes for the first time and losing a decision in the process.
