Watch: Alex Pereira Trades with 6’7” Taekwondo Olympic Medalist Robelis Despaigne
Alex Pereira stepped into the gym for intense work this past weekend, trading heavy shots with Robelis Despaigne at Fusion X-Cel in Ocoee, Florida on Saturday. The light heavyweight champion shared footage on Instagram of the session, captioning it simply with “CHAMA.” The sparring footage shows two heavy hitters feeling each other out through the exchange, with both men landing meaningful strikes in what looked like competitive rounds. It may be a sign that Alex Pereira is planning a move to heavyweight.
Alex Pereira spars with former Olympic bronze medalist Robelis Despaigne
Despaigne brings legitimate credentials to any training session. The 6’7″ heavyweight competed in taekwondo at the 2012 London Olympics, where he earned a bronze medal in the men’s +80 kg division as a 23-year-old. Despaigne spent his early years in Cuba, beginning taekwondo training at age nine and eventually holding a spot on the national team for 15 years before pursuing mixed martial arts. He made his professional MMA debut in 2022 and built an early record of 5-0 with five first-round knockouts, three of those finishes occurring in a combined 25 seconds. His debut came at heavyweight for Titan FC before signing with the UFC in December 2023.
In the sparring footage, both fighters methodically begin with light jabs and crosses, establishing range and reading movement. Early on, Despaigne finds success connecting with his jab upstairs while Pereira focuses attack work to the body. The dynamic shifts when Pereira explodes forward with a sharp left hand that visibly staggers the Cuban heavyweight. From that point, the exchanges intensify. Pereira continues targeting the midsection with hooks, driving Despaigne backward against the gym wall. Both men throw heavier shots as the round progresses before the buzzer sounds and they touch gloves.
Pereira, the reigning light heavyweight champion, reclaimed his title at UFC 320 in October with a stunning first-round stoppage over Magomed Ankalaev. The 38-year-old rushed forward from the opening bell, hurt his opponent with a thunderous right hand, and followed him to the canvas with ground strikes that forced referee Herb Dean to stop the action at 1:20 of the first round. This came after Pereira had lost his title to Ankalaev by unanimous decision at UFC 318 in March. The championship victory over Ankalaev proved Pereira remained the division’s elite striker, capable of dismantling any opponent through explosive combinations.
By training against a fighter of Despaigne’s size and pedigree, Pereira gets valuable work against someone operating at heavyweight level. Despaigne carries a notable Olympic background and fights at a weight class significantly above light heavyweight, making the sparring session useful preparation. The session also comes during a period when Pereira has limited fight bookings for 2026, with the UFC scheduling still relatively sparse.
Despaigne’s record in the UFC shows mixed results since his debut. He opened with a quick victory over Josh Parisian at UFC 299 in March 2024, securing a first-round knockout in just 18 seconds and earning Performance of the Night bonus. However, he’s dropped consecutive decisions to Waldo Cortes-Acosta in May 2024 and Austen Lane in October 2024. His skill set remains built on striking foundations from his taekwondo background, though his grappling has proven a liability at heavyweight. Despite the recent losses, the size and technical striking make him a solid training partner for someone like Pereira working at lighter weight classes.
