Robelis Despaigne

Robelis Despaigne Sanquet (born 9 August 1988) is a Cuban professional mixed martial artist and taekwondo practitioner. He currently competes in the Heavyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Background
Robelis Despaigne spent his formative years in Cuba, where he began practicing taekwondo at nine years old. Seven years into his training, Despaigne earned a spot on the national taekwondo team—a position he held for 15 years. The pinnacle of his taekwondo career came in 2012 when he represented Cuba in the Olympic Games held in London, clinching a bronze medal in the heavyweight category.

In 2012, amidst rumblings of dissatisfaction with the state of sports in Cuba, he decided to make a significant shift. "I was losing love for the sport in 2012. A lot was going on in Cuba where I wasn’t really happy about the sport,” Despaigne explained. Encouraged by his coach to explore mixed martial arts (MMA), he initially hesitated due to concerns about the knockout-heavy reputation of the sport. Eventually, after watching fights and realizing his potential, Despaigne made the decision to venture into the world of MMA.

In 2019, he commenced MMA-specific training in Cuba, incorporating grappling into his routine. Faced with pandemic-related delays, Despaigne made the pivotal decision to relocate to Orlando, Florida, in 2022, where he continues to reside and train.

Taekwondo career
Despaigne won the bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the +80 kg event. He beat Chika Yagazie Chukwumerije in the first round, before losing to Anthony Obame in sudden death in the quarterfinal. Because Obame reached the final Despaigne was entered into the repechage. There he beat Kaino Thomsen-Fuataga, with the fight stopped because of the points difference. He beat Daba Modibo Keita in his bronze medal match by walkover as Keita could not compete due to injury.

Early career
Despaigne made his MMA debut against Katuma Mulumba on 3 June 2022 at Titan FC 77. He won the bout at the end of the first round via TKO stoppage. He then recorded three fights in 2023, winning all by knockout in less than 20 seconds.

Ultimate Fighting Championship
Despaigne was signed by the Ultimate Fighting Championship in December 2023.

Despaigne faced Josh Parisian on 9 March 2024, at UFC 299. He won the fight via knockout 18 seconds into the first round. This fight earned him the Performance of the Night award.

Despaigne faced Waldo Cortes-Acosta on 11 May 2024, at UFC on ESPN 56. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Mixed martial arts

 * Ultimate Fighting Championship
 * Performance of the Night (One time) vs. Josh Parisian
 * Second fastest finish/knockout by a debuting heavyweight in UFC history (18 seconds) (behind Todd Duffee's 7 seconds)
 * Longest reach in UFC history (87" wingspan)