Robelis Despaigne has quickly knocked out two opponents in Karate Combat, spending only 16 seconds in total fight time. However, his next opponent, Roggers Souza, isn’t impressed.
Souza, a heavyweight MMA veteran with experience in Brazil and Russia, and a former champion, was surprised to be offered a fight against Despaigne for Friday’s Karate Combat event in Denver. Despite Despaigne’s Olympic bronze medal in taekwondo and fast knockouts in MMA, Souza is critical of Despaigne’s striking abilities.
“I respect my opponent’s knockout power, but I don’t think he is skilled in MMA,” Souza told MMA Fighting. “He was in a major MMA organization and was released after losses. He struggled there, and I think he’s not ready for MMA. His stand-up striking is messy. Yes, he hits hard, but I’ve faced tough opponents before, and I’m confident. I know I can defeat this guy.”
Despaigne’s “messy” striking has led to two rapid wins in Karate Combat. Still, Souza points out that Despaigne’s first opponent had a losing record (0-1), and his second opponent “is primarily a grappler in MMA.” Souza, a jiu-jitsu black belt who defeated a highly-rated Russian fighter to win a title, believes his striking is superior to Despaigne’s.
Souza quoted his friend Vitor Petrino, saying, “[Despaigne] has 30 seconds.” Souza continued, “After those 30 seconds… I’m used to fighting for fifteen minutes in total, so I’m prepared for a longer fight. I want an exciting fight; I like to engage, and I think we’ll both give it our all.”
Souza, at 35, acknowledges he is in the later stage of his career, but a fight against a hyped fighter like Despaigne is a significant opportunity. Souza had been working as a corporate driver in his hometown but paused the job to train for Karate Combat.
“Renato Moicano once joked that he fights to avoid working,” Souza said with a laugh. “I’ve had opportunities with big promotions before. Right now, preparing for fights is a significant investment for me. I’ll be 36 soon, but I’ll always take good opportunities.”
“I had major fights lined up against Ciryl Gane and Sergei Kharitonov, and I learned a lot from those MMA experiences. I believe a victory over Despaigne would greatly benefit my career.”
