Veteran lightweight King Green believes referee Herb Dean stopped his UFC 332 fight against Esteban Ribovics too early, insisting he still had enough left in the tank to fight through adversity and turn the bout around.
Green suffered a first-round TKO loss to Ribovics on Saturday after enduring multiple knockdowns during their highly anticipated grudge match. While the finish appeared inevitable to many watching, Green feels he deserved the opportunity to continue.
Speaking in a video posted after the fight, the fan favorite admitted he was disappointed with the outcome but remained proud of his effort inside the Octagon.
“Great fight, sh*t happens,” Green said. “I told myself, regardless of what happened, I wasn’t going to be mad at myself, but I’m a little mad.”
The lightweight veteran revealed that he had spoken directly to Herb Dean during the fight and made his intentions clear.
“I told Herb, ‘This is going to get sticky. Let me go out on my shield.’ I was still fine. I wanted to keep fighting. I felt like we were getting somewhere.”
Ribovics put Green in trouble early, dropping him multiple times with sharp combinations. Dean closely monitored the action and eventually stepped in after another knockdown, deciding Green had taken enough damage.
Although Green disagreed with the stoppage, he acknowledged Ribovics’ performance and showed appreciation to those who supported him throughout the fight week.
“But it was a great fight. Shout out to everybody that supported me, everybody that was cheering me on. I love you guys.”
Despite the setback, Green made it clear that his fighting spirit remains intact and that he has no plans to slow down.
“I’m fine. I’m great. I feel like I want to fight next f*cking week. You know what I mean? Thank you so much for the support. I love you guys, and I will be back very soon.”
The defeat ends a strong run for Green, who entered UFC 332 riding a four-fight winning streak and generating momentum toward a potential BMF title conversation. UFC CEO Dana White had previously mentioned Green as a fighter who embodied the BMF mentality, making the matchup with Ribovics an important opportunity.
