In 2011, Junior dos Santos secured a place in history by achieving a knockout victory over Cain Velasquez in merely 64 seconds, claiming the UFC heavyweight championship during the initial UFC event broadcast live on Fox. Almost 15 years onward, a starkly contrasting outcome unfolded in a severe manner.
Participating in the debut mixed martial arts bout aired on Netflix, the former UFC heavyweight titleholder experienced a devastating first-round knockout defeat delivered by Robelis Despaigne, commencing Saturday’s Ronda Rousey versus Gina Carano event held within the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
After causing dos Santos (23-11) to bleed early in the contest, Despaigne (6-2) decisively brought down the Brazilian icon with a powerful series of strikes at the 2:59 mark of the opening round.
Despaigne, a Cuban athlete who earned an Olympic bronze medal in taekwondo and possesses an imposing height of 6-foot-7, arrived in the UFC with considerable expectations in 2024, yet quickly saw his tenure end with consecutive losses over a six-month period. The 37-year-old Despaigne subsequently transitioned to the realm of Karate Combat, where he amassed an undefeated 7-0 record and captured the promotion’s heavyweight title before making his return to MMA for Saturday’s Netflix card.
“I intend to pursue both [MMA and Karate Combat],” Despaigne expressed post-fight through an interpreter, relishing his triumph. He then issued a challenge to another former UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, who had dispatched Philipe Lins with a first-round knockout just moments earlier on the identical card.
“Francis, you’re the one I want next,” Despaigne declared, this time without the need for an interpreter.
For dos Santos, aged 42, this result might signify a harsh conclusion to what has been an otherwise distinguished career. The former champion had not competed since securing two bare-knuckle MMA victories between 2023-24, but prior to those, he had suffered five consecutive mixed martial arts losses in gloved competition, all via technical knockout.
