Los Angeles — Crypto.com Arena — September 19, 2026
RESULT: Robelis Despaigne def. Tai Tuivasa by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).
Tai Tuivasa gave Robelis Despaigne all he could handle for 15 minutes at UFC 331. Two of the three judges still went the other way.
Despaigne took a split decision over “Bam Bam” in a grinding heavyweight fight on the late prelims Saturday night in Los Angeles. The loss is Tuivasa’s eighth in a row, which ties Tony Ferguson for the longest losing streak in UFC history.
It wasn’t a blowout, and it wasn’t a fighter going through the motions. One judge had it for Tuivasa. It was close enough that the scorecards could have gone either way.
Embed from Getty ImagesHow Tuivasa vs. Despaigne Went Down
Round 1. It opened wild. Despaigne, the 6’7″ Cuban with an 84-inch reach, landed heavy shots early that hurt Tuivasa. Instead of wilting, Tuivasa fired back, then did something almost nobody expected: he took the big man down. Tuivasa, who averaged zero takedowns in his UFC career, put Despaigne on the canvas and kept him there for the rest of the round.
Round 2. The fight turned into a clinch battle and a scramble on the mat. Whenever they separated, Tuivasa landed the cleaner shots. It was his best round, and it’s the one that got him a 29-28 card from one judge.
Round 3. Despaigne adjusted. He used his length, stayed busy, and kept Tuivasa from getting anything going for most of the round. That was enough to win the round on two cards, and the fight with them.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Number: Eight
Here’s what the loss means for the record books:
- Record: 14-11 pro
- Streak: eight straight UFC losses, tying Tony Ferguson’s all-time record
- Last win: February 2022, the one-elbow knockout of Derrick Lewis in Houston
- The run: Ciryl Gane, Sergei Pavlovich, Alexander Volkov, Marcin Tybura, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Tallison Teixeira, Louie Sutherland, and now Robelis Despaigne
Context matters, though. Tuivasa went in as a +410 underdog against a taller, longer, more accurate striker, and he pushed him to a split decision. That’s not the same as being blown out.
The Winner: Robelis Despaigne
For Despaigne, the 2012 Olympic taekwondo bronze medalist, it’s a solid return. He hadn’t fought in the Octagon since October 2024. He now has his second UFC win and moves to 7-2 overall. It wasn’t the fast knockout he’s known for, but he went the distance, survived Tuivasa’s early takedown, and won the late rounds when it counted.
Mount Druitt to the Octagon: Why Bam Bam Still Matters
Tuivasa is the son of a Samoan father and a Wiradjuri mother. He grew up in Mount Druitt in western Sydney as one of 12 kids. He was on the Sydney Roosters’ books in 2010 before rugby league slipped away, then rebuilt himself into a 10-0 start and a top-contender run in the UFC heavyweight division.
The streak doesn’t erase any of that. Neither does tonight. The shoeys, the knockouts and the way the crowd still rises for him are why he has one of the most loyal fanbases in the sport, across the Pacific and beyond.
What’s Next for Tai Tuivasa
The questions are obvious: his contract, his future in the UFC, and whether this is the end of the run. None of that has been answered yet, and this was not the performance of a fighter who’s finished. Tuivasa showed new wrinkles, won a round clearly, and took one judge with him.
Whatever comes next, it should be his call to make.
Tai Tuivasa vs. Robelis Despaigne: FAQ
Tuivasa vs. Despaigne is on the UFC 331 late prelims, which begin at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. The fight is expected around 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, streaming on Paramount+.
Tuivasa enters at 14-10, riding a seven-fight losing streak. His last win was a KO of Derrick Lewis in February 2022.
Yes. A loss would give Tuivasa eight straight UFC defeats, tying Tony Ferguson for the longest losing streak in UFC history.
Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on September 19, 2026.
Tuivasa is Samoan on his father’s side and Indigenous Australian (Wiradjuri) on his mother’s side, and grew up in Mount Druitt, western Sydney.
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