Despaigne edges Tuivasa by split decision in UFC heavyweight bout

Robelis Despaigne defeated Tai Tuivasa by split decision at UFC 331 on September 19, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Two judges scored the bout 29-28 for Despaigne and one scored it 29-28 for Tuivasa. The heavyweight fight went the full three rounds. Despaigne hurt Tuivasa early in round one before Tuivasa took him down and worked from half guard. Tuivasa landed a heavy left hand in round two; Despaigne later reversed for a takedown and side control before a stand-up. Tuivasa worked against the fence in round three. The loss extended Tuivasa's streak to eight consecutive defeats, tying Tony Ferguson's UFC record. Tuivasa's last win was a knockout of Derrick Lewis at UFC 271 in February 2022. Despaigne secured his first UFC decision win after prior finishes by first-round knockout. He returned following a Karate Combat heavyweight title and a May knockout of former champion Junior dos Santos at a Most Valuable Promotions event. He had been released after losses to Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Austen Lane. Despaigne said he was happy to return and that outside experience and ground-game work increased his confidence. Yahoo Sports lists him at 7-2 overall; LowKickMMA frames the result as 2-2 in his second UFC run. Tuivasa falls to 14-11 overall, 8-11 UFC.