Robelis Despaigne re-signs with UFC after series of knockouts in Karate Combat, MVP MMA

Robelis Despaigne has re-signed with the UFC after a successful stint outside the promotion, his management confirmed Friday. The Cuban striker left the UFC in 2024 following losses to Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Austen Lane, but went on to compile an impressive 8-0 record across Karate Combat and MVP MMA. In Karate Combat, Despaigne won the heavyweight belt while posting six knockouts in seven fights over a 12-month span. He made his MMA return in May on an MVP MMA card in Inglewood, California, defeating former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos by knockout in under three minutes. Despaigne now returns to the octagon with a professional MMA record of 6-2, with all of his wins coming by way of knockout. His UFC debut came in 2024 with an 18-second finish of Josh Parisian. The promotion has not yet announced a date or opponent for his first fight back in the octagon.