Zuffa LLC
King Green was stopped in his grudge match with Esteban Ribovics at UFC 332, and he felt referee Herb Dean could’ve given him a longer leash.
Ribovics dropped Green with a combination in the opening round. A left hook dropped Green a second time. Green kept finding himself on the canvas, and Dean called a halt to the fight. Despite multiple knockdowns, Green insists he still had some fight left in him.
In a post-fight video addressing the loss, Green said he felt there was a chance to survive the opening round to turn the tide (via MMAJunkie).
King Green reacts after first round TKO loss to Esteban Ribovics
“I told Herb it’s gonna get sticky and let me go out on my shield. I was still fine, I felt like we were getting somewhere but it was a great fight. I’ll be back very soon” pic.twitter.com/Oagv0Q3MW4
— FULL SEND MMA (@full_send_mma) October 4, 2026
“Great fight, sh*t happens,” Green said. “I told myself, regardless or not, I’m not going to be mad at myself, but I’m a little mad. I told Herb, This is going to get sticky. Let me go out on my shield.’ I was still fine. I wanted to still keep fighting. I felt like we were getting somewhere.
“But, it was a great fight. Shout out to everybody that supported, everybody that was cheering me on. I love you guys. I’m fine. I’m great. I feel like I want to fight next f*cking week. You know what I mean? And so, thank you so much for the support. I love you guys, and I will be back very soon.”
Green’s loss to Ribovics marks his first defeat since March 2025 when he fell to Mauricio Ruffy. It’s a tough setback for Green, who was hoping to insert himself in the BMF conversation. He will need to go back to the drawing board before bringing up the topic again.
What is your opinion of Herb Dean’s decision to stop the Esteban Ribovics vs. King Green fight? Was it the right call, or do you think the fight could’ve continued? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
