Robelis Despaigne Beat Tai Tuivasa, but UFC 331 Changed the Betting Case

Robelis Despaigne got the result at UFC 331 without delivering the kind of performance his closing price demanded. BJPenn.com reported that Despaigne defeated Tai Tuivasa by split decision after three rounds, with two 29-28 cards for Despaigne and one 29-28 card for Tuivasa.

The win matters because Despaigne did more than hunt an early knockout. He dropped Tuivasa with a counter, used trips and throws to secure top position, advanced to dominant positions and returned to his grappling late when the fight remained unsettled. That gives bettors a new mechanism to consider in future Despaigne markets.

It does not erase the warning signs. Despaigne tired, absorbed damaging offense, surrendered a takedown and survived an arm-triangle attempt. He also struggled to create sustained damage from some of his top-control positions. A fighter priced between -470 and -600 won, but one judge still scored the fight against him.

The price required control that never arrived

Despaigne closed as an overwhelming moneyline favorite across the seven tracked books. DraftKings offered the least expensive favorite price at -470, while BetMGM reached -600. FanDuel listed -520, BetRivers -590, and Caesars and BetOnline.ag each dealt -500.

Those prices left little room for an unstable fight. Despaigne’s power provided the cleanest route to separating himself, and he produced an early knockdown, but Tuivasa recovered and repeatedly forced exchanges in the clinch and on the floor. Despaigne ultimately needed late grappling work to preserve a narrow decision.

The moneyline cashed. The process was substantially less secure than the result.