How Robelis Despaigne knocked out Junior dos Santos with absolutely brutal 3-punch combo

The first fight of Netflix’s main MMA card on Saturday night brought some fireworks.

In a heavyweight bout to kick off the action on the main card, former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos took on “The Big Boy,” Robelis Despaigne, who once won bronze in the 2012 Olympics.

But Despaigne ended things quickly. With a three-punch combo, he sent dos Santos falling to the ground, winning via knockout in Round 1.

Here’s a look at Despaigne’s knockout vs. dos Santos in Saturday’s Netflix event.

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Robelis Despaigne knocks out Junior dos Santos

From the start of the heavyweight matchup, Despaigne and dos Santos were trading some blows. Each were clearly waiting for the right opportunity to go for a quick knockout — but it was Despaigne that took advantage.

At just around the 3-minute mark of the first round, Despaigne connected, landing one punch with his right hand, getting another with his left, then sending dos Santos collapsing to the floor with a third punch.

Here’s another angle of the knockout:

How many times has Junior dos Santos been knocked out?

Per ESPN, as his career record fell to 21-11 on Saturday, dos Santos lost via knockout/technical knockout for the ninth time, with one being a technical knockout due to injury.

He has now lost six consecutive fights, all by knockout/technical knockout.

Robelis Despaigne MMA record

Despaigne improved to 6-2 in his career with his knockout on Saturday — and all six of his wins have come via knockout.

While Despaigne had lost his last two fights via decision entering Saturday, he had a streak of six-straight knockouts from 2022-24. 

How old is Robelis Despaigne?

Despaigne is 37 years old and will turn 38 on Sept. 9, 2026. He is from Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. 

How old is Junior dos Santos?

dos Santos is 42 years old and will turn 43 on Jan. 30, 2027. He is from Caçador, Santa Catarina, Brazil.