TLDR
- Esteban Ribovics knocked out King Green in the first round at UFC 332 in Salt Lake City
- His post-fight trash talk was actually directed at boxer Arnold Barboza Jr., Green’s friend, following an earlier altercation
- Ribovics missed weight by 0.5 pounds and blamed hotel air conditioning for disrupting his weight cut
- The weight miss cost him 20 percent of his purse and made him ineligible for post-fight bonuses
- Ribovics has now won back-to-back fights and says he’s ready to face anyone in the lightweight division
Sources: sherdog.com | mmafighting.com | sports.yahoo.com
Esteban Ribovics knocked out King Green in the first round at UFC 332 on Saturday night in Salt Lake City. But the Argentine fighter says his post-fight words weren’t meant for the man he just defeated.
Ribovics dropped Green three times before referee Herb Dean stopped the fight. As the bout ended, Ribovics appeared to shout at Green, leading to a tense moment before the two fighters embraced.
The 28-year-old lightweight later explained that his comments were actually aimed at professional boxer Arnold Barboza Jr., who is friends with Green. The two had gotten into an altercation outside the fighter hotel the day before the event.
😂👏 Nina Drama was so happy to see Bobby Green get KOd that she personally congratulated Esteban Ribovics for it.
In the past Bobby Green claimed she slept with the whole UFC ROSTER. pic.twitter.com/yoGvZnR5yb
— Full Mount MMA (@MMAFullMount) October 4, 2026
“I said to him, ‘Keep talking,” Ribovics said at the post-fight press conference. “It was for the day before. But it’s not Bobby. It’s the boxer guy.”
Green and Barboza Jr. have become partners in online streaming. They broadcasted a confrontation with Ribovics and his team before the fight, adding fuel to an already tense situation.
Weight Miss Blamed on Hotel Issue
The drama around UFC 332 started before the fighters even stepped into the octagon. Ribovics missed weight by 0.5 pounds at Friday’s official weigh-ins, forcing the bout to be changed to a catchweight fight.
The weight miss cost Ribovics 20 percent of his purse. He also became ineligible to win any post-fight bonuses, potentially costing him at least $25,000.
Ribovics blamed the issue on problems with the hotel workout room. He said his team was working on his weight cut Thursday when the air conditioning suddenly turned on.
“They turned on the air conditioning while we were just doing it and basically I stopped sweating,” Ribovics said through a Spanish translator. “At one point, ‘We have to leave this for tomorrow,’ I stopped sweating because of it, so we got cold and just stopped sweating.”
When asked if the AC incident might have been sabotage arranged by Green and Barboza Jr., Ribovics laughed off the suggestion.
Prepared for Green’s Trash Talk
Despite the tensions outside the cage, Ribovics came prepared for Green’s fighting style. The UFC veteran is known for talking to opponents during fights.
Ribovics had his training partner simulate Green’s trash talk during sparring sessions. This preparation helped him stay focused when the actual fight began.
“He talked a little sh*t, but it’s his game,” Ribovics said. “I knew he was gonna do that. I prepared for that. My partner did the same in training. I came ready for that.”
The two fighters showed mutual respect after their initial post-fight exchange. They embraced and put the bad blood behind them.
Ribovics has now won consecutive fights for the first time since 2024. His recent victories include knockouts of both Green and former lightweight contender Edson Barboza.
The Argentine fighter could be in line for a move up the lightweight rankings. However, he’s not calling out specific opponents right now.
“I don’t like to call out names,” Ribovics said in Spanish. “I’ll tell you that after that fight against Mateusz Gamrot, things clicked in my head, and I just became more professional, improved a lot of things to be ready for whenever and I can tell you I am ready. If called upon, I will face anyone.”
