Robelis Despaigne, the Cuban killer who amazes the world with his knockouts in a few seconds and debuts in UFC

The Kaseya Center, a You love mein Florida, will be the setting for the debut in UFC of the Cuban Robelis Despaignenicknamed “the monster” of mixed martial arts and with a past as an Olympic medalist in taekwondo represent his country. His debut against the American Parisian Josh will be part of the event UFC299an evening that will begin on Saturday 9th at 8pm (ESPN and Star+ broadcast) and which will have as its backdrop the fight for the bantamweight title between the American Sean O’Malley and the Ecuadorian Marlon Vera.

It takes 4 seconds to understand how far Despaigne, 35, is arriving Ultimate fighting champion (UFC), the largest MMA (mixed martial arts) company in the world. This was how long it took the man born in Santiago de Cuba to get knocked out Miles Banksin the cage Caged Fury 84on Dec. 3 in Houston.

Almost immediately, Dana White, CEO of the UFC, has his sights set on Despaigne’s 6-foot-1, 250-pound height. The savvy 54-year-old businessman, who bought the company for $2 million in 2001 and sold it in 2016 for 4,000 green sticks (but remains in charge), knew he was facing one of those unmissable jewels. .

It wasn’t the first time the Cuban showed his explosive ferocity inside the octagon: after switching from Taekwondo to MMA in 2022, his only four fights ended in a first-round KO. His first time, in the heavyweight category, was the one that required the most work, 4 minutes and 54 seconds against Katuna Malumbain June 2022.

That happy premiere was followed by three unforgettable performances, as if to make it clear that he knows what he wants when the bell rings. They were 12 seconds against Travis Gregoire, in June 2023; only 3 seconds compared to Stevie Payne, in the month of September; and the 4 that passed until she joined Banks in December.

For this reason White skipped all the protocols and put a multi-figure contract on the table, the number of which is unknown, but which promises to change the life of this rocky boy who continues to train with humility in the same small gym in Miami where he trained and settled when he decided to immerse himself completely in the world of mixed martial arts, imitating the path of several compatriots, such as Yoël Romerowho was world wrestling champion in Ankara in 1999 and won the silver medal in that discipline in Sydney in 2000, then made a name for himself in the UFC.

“It was a dream I had been looking for since 2019. Taekwondo helped me a lot, because it gave me good coordination. To this I added boxing and Jiu Jitsu. I am anxious and excited waiting for my debut,” he declared in the previous days his introduction to the UFC.

“I hope that all my fights continue like this, we have prepared very well during the last three months and we have the tactics to face this rival. Since I have been fighting for 9 years, with every fighter who faces me it will be “This sport is a bit complex, I have to face a fighter with a lot of experience, we’ll see what happens, I will give everything to get my victory”, added the Cuban.

The speed of his movements, the concentration and effectiveness of his strikes, with a technique developed in detail, added to the reach of his arms and legs, make Robelis a relentless combination when it is time to offer himself to the fight. He owes a lot to Taekwondo.

Despaigne was champion in Pan American Games 2011in Guadalajara, and a year later had to settle for the bronze medal in the London 2012 Olympic Games. In addition to sporting glory, the prize for that third place in the Olympic event earned him an amount close to 1,500 dollars. It is worth remembering through an archive video the firepower that the Cuban brings with him, especially in his legs.

Twelve years later, it is estimated that Robelis will collect 12 thousand for each fight in UFC, which would double in the event of victory, not to mention all the commercial advantages that will increase thanks to the popularity of the competition, which rages on television networks across much of the planet.

The numbers multiply exponentially in other MMA tournament formats, such as the PFL (Professional Fighters League), a very successful league in the United States where points accumulate throughout the year and the winner of the season can get to get 1 million dollars as a reward.

The “Bigboy”, as he is also known in the industry, has caused a sensation among fans, so much so that he has already doubled the number of followers on his social networks and it is expected that a crowd of Latinos will come to applaud him from the stands of the Kaseya Center, home of the NBA’s Miami Heat.

With confidence and a lot of professionalism, Robelis trains hard with tractor wheels and ropes, Rocky style, for this new challenge. The appointment is Saturday 9th evening and everything seems to indicate that “the monster” will do his duty. His rival, Parisian Josh, is a year younger but has a longer career in the UFC, with a record of 15 wins and 7 falls, but only one fight in the last twelve months: it was a first-round submission loss. The question at this moment is only one, how long will it last before kissing the canvas?