Robelis Despaigne is already eyeing a potential clash with Francis Ngannou as he prepares for his first MMA fight since departing the UFC in 2024.
Despaigne meets former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos on the main card of Most Valuable Promotions' inaugural MMA event, which takes place Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., and streams live on Netflix. The card is headlined by Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano, with Ngannou also competing against Philipe Lins.
Asked about a future matchup with Ngannou if both men win on Saturday, Despaigne said, "I do see the possibility," and added, "At the beginning, it wasn't even something that crossed my mind, but over time, many people have asked about it. There are people talking about that potential fight, and me possibly facing Francis Ngannou after this fight. If I come out winning in this fight, and he wins his fight, I think it would be a great opportunity for me to let the world know who I am by fighting Francis Ngannou."
Despaigne is competing under a one-fight deal with Most Valuable Promotions and said, "I don't know what's going to happen. We haven't talked about that," when asked about what comes next. On the possibility of more MVP-Netflix MMA events, he added, "I don't know if there will be more events. I hope there will be. I think with all the attention this event has been getting, we'll see more events this year."
