Ribovics calls UFC 332 win over King Green most satisfying after pre-fight bullying claim

Esteban Ribovics stopped King Green three times in the first round of their catchweight bout at UFC 332 on 3 October in Salt Lake City, with referee Herb Dean waving off the fight to hand the Argentine lightweight a record of 17-3. Now Ribovics has revealed the backstory that made the win feel personal.

Speaking to Hablemos MMA in Spanish, Ribovics said tensions erupted after he narrowly missed weight ahead of the event. He claims Green’s entourage, which included professional boxer Arnold Barboza Jr., surrounded his team and became physically aggressive before the ceremonial weigh-ins.

“Yeah, you can say it’s the most satisfying victory of my career because this was the first time they tried to bully me and treat me disrespectfully,” Ribovics said. “They were outside and I confronted Barboza and that’s when Green stepped in and pushed me. They don’t need to touch me and surrounded us with his team. That’s when respect flew out the window. They tried to bully me and tried to be the bad boys. They were saying we could fight here in the streets. Come on, man. Shut up.”

Green, a veteran with a record of 36-18-1 (1 NC), was knocked down three times before Dean intervened, capping a night that had already turned hostile well before the opening bell.

Ribovics did not elaborate on whether the weight miss carried any formal consequences, but the catchweight designation suggests both camps agreed to proceed despite the scale issue. The pre-fight confrontation adds a charged footnote to what was already a decisive performance from the Argentine.