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United States 6ft 7in Olympic medallist scored savage three-second KO before getting call to fight for Dana White at UFC...
Robelis Despaigne is days away from making his UFC debut.
Fight fans are extremely excited to see the 4-0 heavyweight prospect compete for the first time in MMA’s premier promotion at UFC 299 in Miami, Florida, on Saturday night.
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Just one look at the man and you can see why fans are pumped up.
Despaigne stands at 6ft 7in and boasts the longest reach - a gargantuan 87 inches - ever seen inside the iconic UFC Octagon.
Not only is the Cuban taekwondo practitioner a physical specimen, but he’s also one of the most credentialed fighters on the roster after winning a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
UFC CEO Dana White acted quickly to sign Despaigne when he scored a brutal four-second knockout win over Miles Banks at Fury FC 84 in December.
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Amazingly, the 35-year-old has an even quicker finish on his record.
In his penultimate fight before joining the UFC, Despaigne shocked the world when he knocked out Stevie Payne in three seconds at Fury Challenger Series 7.
Despaigne opened up the fight with a big head kick that was partially blocked by his opponent, who subsequently ate a flush follow-up punch that closed the show.
Before his leg had even touched the floor, the UFC’s newest heavyweight prospect had landed a savage right hook that left Payne unconscious on the floor.
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Despaigne landed an unnecessary flying hammerfist before the referee pulled him off his rival and he officially picked up one of the fastest KOs in MMA history.
The fight before that lasted just 12 seconds, and the only time Despaigne has fought MMA for more than that was in his debut when Katuma Mulumba almost survived a full round before getting knocked out.
If he had been fighting in the UFC all along, Despaigne would’ve already broken the fastest KO record, which Jorge Masvidal holds for his five-second flying knee against Ben Askren, twice.
Josh Parisian is the man tasked with welcoming him to the UFC this weekend.
The 34-year-old is currently on a two-fight losing streak and has lost four of his six fights against MMA’s elite – but he’s only been stopped by strikes twice during his 22-fight career fighting heavyweights.
Parisian has never been knocked out in the first round, so Despaigne may be forced to fight beyond the five-minute mark for the first time at UFC 299.
