A former UFC heavyweight champion believes Robelis Despaigne would become the first fighter to knock out Francis Ngannou in the cage.

It was a triumphant return to Mixed Martial Arts for former UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou last Saturday at Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano, as Ngannou knocked out Philipe Lins in the first round of their heavyweight matchup. It was Ngannou’s first MMA fight since his lone Professional Fighters League appearance in October 2024.

After knocking out Lins, Ngannou has his eyes set on potential fights with the likes of Jon Jones and Jake Paul under the Most Valuable Promotions banner. Ngannou and Paul traded barbs in a now-viral backstage altercation at Saturday’s event, planting the seeds of a possible showdown.

But Ngannou’s next opponent could be another big winner on the Rousey vs. Carano undercard. Former UFC heavyweight Robelis Despaigne, who parted ways with the promotion in 2024, knocked out former heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos in just under three minutes last Saturday.

Despaigne, an Olympic bronze medalist in taekwondo, is a dangerous striker with explosive speed and power. His skill set is so elite, in fact, that a UFC legend believes he would sleep Ngannou if they were to fight.

Fabricio Werdum: Robelis Despaigne will knock out Francis Ngannou

In a recent interview with Sherdog, former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum made a surprising pick for a potential Despaigne vs. Ngannou fight.

“I had a great rivalry with ‘Cigano,’ but after our last fight we became friends. When I saw the Cuban’s fights in Karate Combat, I commented in the WhatsApp group where Rafael Cordeiro, Lyoto and Wanderlei are. All the support is for daddy ‘Cigano,’ but I didn’t think it was going to happen,” Werdum said of Despaigne.

“This Cuban is a terrible matchup for Francis Ngannou. He has a lot of reach, speed, and precision. I’m 99 percent sure he’ll beat Ngannou by knockout.”

Who do you want Francis Ngannou to fight next? Let us know in the comments!