MVP MMA: Junior dos Santos vs Robelis Despaigne Preview & Prediction

Best known for his epic trilogy with Cain Velasquez, former UFC heavyyweight kingpin, Junior dos Santos (21-10) makes his first walk to the cage under traditional MMA rules since a TKO defeat to Yorgan de Castro back in 2022. A slick boxer with devastating power and crushing low kicks, "Cigano" was a mainstay in the UFC's top 10 throughout his time in the promotion. Many thought that the Brazilian was completely shot following his loss to de Castro, only for dos Santos to rebound with a two fight win streak in Jorge Masvidal's Gamebred Bare Knuckle MMA promotion, scoring back to back wins over Fabricio Werdum and Alan Belcher to win the promotion's inaugural heavyweight title.

Robelis Despaigne: The Cuban Olympian looks to parlay the momentum of a seven fight win streak in Karate Combat into his MMA return

Standing 6'7 with an 84' reach, many were quick to label Robelis Despaigne (5-2) as a champion in waiting when he debuted in the UFC. Despite a stunning KO victory in his first appearance, things didn't go exactly to plan for Olympian; Despaigne would drop back-to-back stinkers against Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Austen Lane to earn his walking papers in short order. However, the Taekwondo prodigy has found new lease of life since joining Karate Combat, scoring six KOs in seven consecutive wins to remind fans of his striking prowess and the constant danger that he poses on the feet.

Junior dos Santos vs Robelis Despaigne prediction

This fight is going to go one of two ways. "Cigano" is either going to mix the martial arts and make Despaigne look silly with his grappling edge, or get absolutely nuked out cold in a striking exchange.

Dos Santos' age and the damage he's taken throughout the course of his career means that the latter is the more probable outcome on paper. However, it's really difficult to forget Despaigne's last MMA fight, a contest where he coughed up a unanimous decision to one of the worst UFC fighters in recent memory in Austen Lane. Dos Santos has never been much of a grappler, but if a fighter as limited as Lane is capable of outwrestling Despaigne, it's hard to argue that "JDS" isn't.

However, whether he can survive long enough to get the action to the mat is another matter entirely. Dos Santos has lost his last five MMA fights via KO, while Despaigne has been knocking people silly in Karate Combat. The Cuban has had time to rebuild his confidence with a seven fight win streak with six KOs following his ignominious UFC release, has an enormous edge in size and physicality, and is now facing an opponent whose chin was arguably cracked irreparably more than five years ago.

A "JDS" victory would be a fairytale return, but the MMA gods aren't too big on those.

Prediction: Robelis Despaigne to win by first round KO