King Green slams Herb Dean stoppage after Ribovics ends his four-fight streak at UFC 332

King Green has hit out at referee Herb Dean for stopping his UFC 332 bout against Esteban Ribovics on Saturday at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, arguing he should have been allowed to continue despite being knocked down three times in quick succession.

Ribovics initially struggled to find his range before landing a series of shots that dropped Green three times, prompting Dean to wave off the contest. Green, who was still conscious when the stoppage came, immediately protested and later vented his frustration in a video posted from a post-fight gathering alongside Quinton Jackson, who had cornered him on the night.

“I was telling Herb when Herb came in… Fight will get sticky; you should let me fight,” Green said on Jackson’s Kick stream. “Let me fight! Let me go out on my shield. I understand I’m older. These young nggas coming with fcking heat… I don’t plan on living long. Let me fcking go! I want to live life right now and today. I’m a real gangster, ngga. I look at death right in his face.”

Green revealed he had spoken to Dean before the fight and explicitly asked the veteran referee to allow him to go out on his shield if it came to that. Jackson, however, defended Dean’s decision, saying the referee was acting to prevent Green from absorbing unnecessary punishment.

The 40-year-old Green acknowledged that Dean was looking out for his wellbeing, but maintained he wanted the fight to run its course. The defeat snapped a four-fight winning streak for Green, who now stands at 36-18-1.

For Ribovics, the finish was his second consecutive knockout victory. The Argentine, now 17-3, previously stopped Edson Barboza in August, and the win over Green further cements his rising profile in the UFC lightweight division.