Esteban Ribovics Clarifies Post-Fight Words After UFC 332 Win Over King Green

Esteban Ribovics secured an emphatic victory over King Green at UFC 332 on Saturday in Salt Lake City, dropping the veteran three times en route to a first-round technical knockout in their catchweight bout. As referee Herb Dean stepped in to wave off the contest, Ribovics shouted in Green's direction, though the two competitors quickly embraced and demonstrated mutual respect inside the Octagon.

Speaking at the post-fight press conference, as reported by Sherdog, the Argentine lightweight explained that he told Green to "keep talking" once the bout was halted, acknowledging Green's well-known habit of engaging opponents verbally during fights. Ribovics noted that he had anticipated the tactic well in advance, having a teammate emulate Green's in-cage chatter during sparring sessions. "He talked a little sh*t, but it’s his game," Ribovics said. "I came ready for that… I said to him, ‘Keep talking.’"

However, Ribovics clarified that his final verbal jab was not actually intended for Green. Instead, the remarks were targeted at professional boxer Arnold Barboza Jr. Bad blood had boiled over between the camps ahead of the matchup after a confrontation sparked by Ribovics missing weight, and Ribovics stated that his post-fight reaction was directly tied to the altercation from the day before.