Despaigne returns to UFC with overhauled ground game after title win outside the Octagon

Robelis Despaigne is back in the UFC with a point to prove, having re-signed with the promotion after a year away that included a Karate Combat heavyweight title and a knockout win over Junior dos Santos at Most Valuable Promotions’ inaugural MMA event in May. The Cuban heavyweight is scheduled to face Tai Tuivasa (14-10) at UFC 331 on September 19 in Los Angeles.

Despaigne’s first UFC stint began with enormous promise. The Olympic taekwondo bronze medalist had finished all four of his professional fights within a combined cage time of 5:13 before his promotional debut, and he wasted no time adding to that record by stopping Josh Parisian in just 18 seconds. But the weaknesses in his game were quickly exposed: consecutive losses to Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Austen Lane, both decided by wrestling, led to his release from the promotion in 2024.

The time away, Despaigne says, was exactly what he needed. He credits the period outside the Octagon with giving him the experience and the specific technical development his game was missing.

“I gained about a year of experience outside of the UFC,” Despaigne said. “And now that I’m returning, I have much more confidence in myself. The main difference is that I’ve got a lot of experience and I’ve worked on my ground game. I feel as if it’s a welcome party and I’m gonna give it my all to get the victory.”

Now 6-2, Despaigne is not thinking small about what his second run could deliver. Despite the setbacks of his first stint, he insists his ambitions remain unchanged.

“I am happy to be back and thankful to the UFC for giving me the opportunity to make my return,” he added. “As always, I’m highly ambitious and my goal is to get the UFC belt.”

The matchup with Tuivasa offers an immediate test of those claims. The Australian veteran, himself a heavyweight known for his striking and crowd-pleasing style, brings a 14-10 record and significant UFC experience to the September bout. For Despaigne, it is a chance to demonstrate whether the ground-game overhaul he describes is real — and whether a year spent winning titles elsewhere has genuinely filled the gap that ended his first UFC chapter.