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After 18-second debut, Robelis Despaigne books quick return at UFC St. Louis
Robelis Despaigne has his second assignment in the UFC.
The undefeated heavyweight prospect will take on Waldo Cortes-Acosta on May 11 at a UFC Fight Night event in St. Louis.
The news first was announced by Despaigne’s manager, AJ Ariosa, of First Round Management, on Tuesday. MMA Junkie confirmed the matchup with an additional person with knowledge of the matchup who asked to remain anonymous because the UFC hasn’t made an official announcement.
Despaigne (5-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who has the longest reach in UFC history, debuted earlier this month at UFC 299 in Miami. He quickly dispatched Josh Parisian with a bonus-winning 18-second TKO. The 35-year-old is an Olympic medalist in taekwondo from Cuba and considered one of the most interesting prospects in the UFC’s heavyweight division.
His opponent, Cortes-Acosta (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC), is coming off the biggest win of his career. “Salsa Boy” defeated former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski in January. He’s on a two-fight winning streak after his first professional loss to Marcos Rogerio de Lima in April 2023.
No other fights have been made official for the UFC’s return to St. Louis, which will be the promotion’s first time there in more than six years.
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