Despaigne edges split decision as Tuivasa ties Ferguson's grim UFC losing record

Robelis Despaigne ground out a split decision victory over Tai Tuivasa in a chaotic heavyweight contest at UFC 331 in Los Angeles, claiming the first decision win of his professional career in the process.

The bout was a far cry from polished technique. Both men threw heavy punches throughout, occasionally abandoned their game plans to grapple, and barely had enough in the tank to reach the final bell — but the crowd in Los Angeles largely embraced the mayhem. Despaigne, an Olympic bronze medalist in boxing, had previously finished every opponent he defeated inside the first round, making the judges’ scorecards entirely new territory for him.

The win came after a spell away from the UFC that included a successful run in Karate Combat and a one-off appearance at the inaugural MVP MMA show. His return to the Octagon ended with his hand raised, even if the performance left room for debate.

For Tuivasa, the defeat was a far grimmer milestone. The Australian heavyweight has now lost eight fights in a row inside the UFC, equalling Tony Ferguson’s record for the most consecutive losses in the promotion’s history — a statistic that underlines how sharply his fortunes have turned since his fan-favourite peak.

The fight drew immediate reaction from fellow professionals on social media, with several fighters comparing the freewheeling, anything-goes nature of the contest to the earliest days of the sport. The “UFC 1 all over again” framing that circulated online captured the mood: raw, unpredictable, and oddly compelling despite — or perhaps because of — its technical shortcomings.

Despaigne will now look to build on his first UFC decision win, while Tuivasa faces serious questions about his future in the heavyweight division after an eight-fight skid that shows no sign of reversing.