King Green accuses UFC champions of still using banned substances after Makhachev fight

King Green has publicly alleged that several current UFC champions are using performance-enhancing drugs and successfully hiding it, remarks that came after a fan asked him what it felt like to compete against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.

Green, speaking on Arnold Barboza’s Kick stream, said the experience of grappling Makhachev during their 2022 bout stood apart from anything he had felt before. “I’ve messed with thousands of people. And it’s the first time — or a couple of times — where I feel something, like when I go with guys who do drugs: ‘That feels like drugs.’ I could feel the difference,” Green said.

He went further, stopping short of naming specific fighters but insisting the problem extends to the top of the UFC roster. “There’s motherfers in the UFC that still be cheating, OK? They still be cheating. These motherfers cheat; and they’re a lot of your titleholders, there are a lot of those guys that you didn’t know about it. But they got the money to hide and they know what they are doing.”

Green and Makhachev met in 2022 in what turned out to be the Russian’s final non-title fight before his championship run. Green stepped in on less than two weeks’ notice, replacing the injured Beneil Dariush. Makhachev dominated from the opening bell, taking Green down and finishing him with ground-and-pound in the first round.

The 36-17-1 Green has since rebuilt his record with a four-fight winning streak that includes three finishes. He is next scheduled to face Esteban Ribovics (16-3) at UFC 332 on 3 October at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.