UFC Signing 6-ft-7 Cuban Olympian and Gold Medalist | Ngannou talks of a potential fight with Wilder

A four-second KO convinces UFC to sign 6-foot-7 Cuban heavyweight with perfect record and Olympic medal
Robelis Despaigne is the latest addition to the UFC roster.
The exciting heavyweight prospect improved his perfect MMA record to 4-0 with a stunning knockout win over Miles Banks at Fury FC 84 this past Sunday in Houston, Texas. Despaigne's last three fights have lasted 19 seconds combined.
One good right hand was all it took to floor Banks and add a four-second KO to his record, which includes a three-second finish and a 12-second stoppage.
Soon after Despaigne’s win, the event was interrupted by an announcement about his fighting future.
“Ladies and gentlemen, breaking news," the ring announcer said.
“I just received word that the UFC just signed Robelis Despaigne.
“Confirmed by Mick Maynard. Robelis Despaigne signed to the UFC. ”
The 35-year-old is a taekwondo practitioner who captured a bronze medal for Cuba during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London; he has also medaled twice at the World Championships.
Despaigne stands at 6 feet 7 inches, and his 87-inch reach is the biggest in UFC history, ahead of 7-foot fighter Stefan Struve and two-weight champion Jon Jones, who both measure around 84 inches.
Naturally, he’ll need to cut down to make the UFC’s 265-pound heavyweight limit.
Due to his age, Despaigne is likely to be fast-tracked through the heavyweight division, which currently has two champions: Jones and Tom Aspinall.
‘Bad Boy’ is not the first Olympic medalist to join MMA’s premier league.
Former dual-weight champion Henry Cejudo won gold in wrestling before transitioning to MMA, while ex-bantamweight queen Ronda Rousey claimed Olympic bronze in judo before revolutionising the UFC.
Only time will tell if Despaigne will enjoy the success Cejudo and Rousey enjoyed when they changed sports, but he has certainly got all the tools to cause the UFC’s best big men some problems.
Talking about heavyweights:
Francis Ngannou vs. Deontay Wilder is a fight many in the MMA world have suggested, and it seems that there’s interest in making it happen, but not under the terms many expected.
Ngannou said Monday there have been talks of a potential fight against Wilder, but in an MMA cage. Wilder, a former WBC heavyweight champion and one of the most popular names in boxing, has shown interest in fighting in MMA, according to Ngannou.
Ngannou parted ways with the UFC earlier this year while still its heavyweight champion. He signed with the PFL, which will allow him to venture outside. On Saturday, he lost his highly competitive boxing debut against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury by split decision in Saudi Arabia. He’s expected to make his PFL MMA debut in 2024.
Wilder has not fought in MMA. His most recent boxing match was a knockout of Robert Helenius in October 2022. Prior to that, he had back-to-back losses to Fury in championship fights.