The Kaseya Center, in
Miami , Florida, will be the setting for the
UFC
debut
of the Cuban
Robelis Despaigne
, nicknamed "the monster" of mixed martial arts and with a past as an Olympic medalist in
Taekwondo
representing his country.
His debut against the American
Josh Parisian will be part of the
UFC 299
event
, an evening that begins this Saturday the 9th at 8 p.m. (ESPN and Star+ broadcast) and which includes the fight for the bantamweight title, between the American Sean O'Malley and the Ecuadorian Marlon Vera.
4 seconds are enough to understand what the arrival of Despaigne, 35, to
Ultimate Fighting Champion
(UFC), the largest MMA (mixed martial arts) company in the world, can mean.
That was the time it took for the man born in Santiago de Cuba to knock out
Miles Banks
, in the cage of
Cage Fury 84
, on December 3 in Houston.
Almost immediately,
Dana White
, CEO of the UFC, set his sights on Despaigne's 2.04 meters tall and 117 kilos.
The 54-year-old experienced businessman, who in 2001 bought the company for $2 million and sold it in 2016 in exchange for 4,000 green sticks (but remains in charge), knew that he was facing one of those gems that cannot be missed. .
It was not the first time that the Cuban showed his explosive fierceness inside the octagon: after moving from Taekwondo to MMA in 2022,
his only four fights ended with a knockout in the first round
.
The one from his first time, in the heavyweight category, was the one that took him the most work, 4 minutes and 54 seconds against
Katuna Malumba
, in June 2022.
Robelis Despaigne, proud representative of Cuba in Miami.
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.
It was 12 seconds against
Travis Gregoire
, in June 2023;
just 3 seconds against
Stevie Payne
, in September;
and the 4 that passed until he connected with Banks, in December.
For this reason, White skipped all the protocols and put a contract with several zeros on the table, the number of which is unknown, but which promises to change the life of this rocky boy who continues training with humility in the same small gym in Miami where he trained. settled when he decided to fully immerse himself in the world of mixed martial arts, imitating the path of several compatriots, such as
Yoel Romero
, who was world fighting champion in Ankara 1999 and won the silver medal in that discipline, in Sydney 2000, to then make a name for himself in the UFC.
This Saturday the Cuban Robelis Despaigne debuts in #UFC299 pic.twitter.com/H7dhkULcjQ
— Haduucken (@Haduuuucken) March 4, 2024
"It was a dream that I had been looking for since 2019. Taekwondo has helped me a lot, because it gave me good coordination. To that I added boxing and Jiu Jitsu. I am anxious and psyched up waiting for the debut," he declared in the days before his presentation at the UFC.
"I hope all my fights continue to go like this, we 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 each fighter that faces me it is going to be more difficult. "This sport is a bit complex, I have to face a fighter with a lot of experience, we will see what happens, I am going to give everything to obtain my victory," added the Cuban.
Cuba has a representative 🇨🇺
Robelis Despaigne seeks a resounding victory in an expected debut👏 #UFC299 pic.twitter.com/TpAu7vduLl
— UFC Español (@UFCEspanol) March 7, 2024
The speed of his movements, the concentration and the effectiveness of his blows, with a technique developed in detail, added to the reach of his arms and legs, make Robelis an implacable combination when it is time to offer himself to combat.
He owes a lot to Taekwondo.
Despaigne was champion at the
2011 Pan American Games
in Guadalajara, and a year later he had to settle for the bronze medal at the
2012 London Olympics
.
In addition to the sporting glory, the prize for that third place in the Olympic event earned him a figure close to 1,500 dollars.
It is worth remembering through an archive video the firepower that the Cuban carries, especially in his legs.
It seems Robelis Despaigne has always just turned people off.
Here's a video from at least 9 years ago, maybe older.
He makes his UFC debut this weekend at UFC 299. pic.twitter.com/U8DNB6o0Ve
— Blaine Henry (@BlaineHenryTFL) March 5, 2024
Twelve years later, it is estimated that Robelis will earn
12,000 for each fight
in the UFC, which would be doubled in the event of victory, not counting all the commercial benefits that will increase thanks to the popularity of the competition, a rage on television networks for a large part. 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 are added throughout the year and the winner of the season can get to obtain
1 million dollars
as a prize.
Robelis Despagine and his Rocky training.
The "Bigboy" as he is also known within 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 cheer him on from the Kaseya stands. 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 date is Saturday the 9th at night and everything seems to indicate that "the monster" is going to do his thing.
His rival,
Josh Parisian
, is a year younger but has a longer career in the UFC, with a record of 15 wins and 7 losses, but only one fight in the last twelve months: it was a defeat by submission in the first round. .
The question at this time is only one, how long will it last before kissing the canvas?
Robelis Despaigne during preparation in Florida for the UFC debut.
/ Instagram account: thebigboyufc