Tai Tuivasa meets Robelis Despaigne in UFC 331 return after skid

Tai Tuivasa will return to the octagon with a specific goal in mind at UFC 331. Facing Robelis Despaigne in a scheduled bout on Sept. 19 Arena in Los Angeles, Tuivasa enters the fight looking to stop what has been described as a UFC record-tying losing streak.

The matchup pairs two fighters moving in opposite directions, at least by the ledger. Tuivasa comes in with a professional MMA record of 14-10 and an 8-10 mark in UFC competition. Despaigne, meanwhile, owns a 6-2 record overall and is 1-2 in the UFC, setting the stage for a veteran vs. return fight where momentum and cage rust are both on the table.

UFC 331 will be staged as the promotion’s latest numbered event in a major-market venue. Promotion officials announced the pairing for the card Arena, with the broadcast set to air on Paramount+ according to the report. For Tuivasa, the fight carries added urgency because the losing streak framing makes the stakes about more than just a single win or loss.

Despaigne’s presence also shapes the competitive picture. With just three UFC fights on his record, he is still in a phase where the UFC results are a small sample size compared to his overall career. A win against a fighter like Tuivasa can shift how quickly the promotion views him as a longer-term piece of its heavyweight mix, even if the short-term objective is simply earning the next opportunity inside the rankings conversation.

For Tuivasa, the path to recovery is more direct. A UFC record-tying losing streak adds pressure because it turns the bout into a referendum on whether he can return to the kind of performances that previously defined his run. Even without adding details beyond the announcement, a correction in this spot can change how his next few fights are framed by both matchmaking and fan expectations.

What to watch next is whether the bout ends up resembling a veteran’s tactical adjustment or a high-risk, high-energy heavyweight exchange. The contrast in UFC experience also matters, as Despaigne may seek to impose a clearer identity early, while Tuivasa’s focus will likely be on controlling the terms of engagement long enough to avoid a repeat of the slide that brought him to this moment.