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UFC star Esteban Ribovics has explained why he was so satisfied with his victory over King Green at UFC 332.

For anyone heading into a fight against King Green, there’s always going to be the knowledge that he will do what he can to try and get into your head – whether that’s before the contest or during the bout itself.

RELATED: UFC 332 Results: Esteban Ribovics TKO’s King Green (Video)

For Esteban Ribovics, though, this was about proving to himself that he could take the next step up in his career. He wants to mix it up with the very best in his division, and by overcoming Green, he set himself up for a really important fight in his next outing.

In a recent interview, Esteban Ribovics spoke candidly about some of the issues he had to deal with leading up to UFC 332.

Esteban Ribovics reflects on King Green win

“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 told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. “So yeah, at that moment, I was telling him like, ‘Shut your mouth or keep talking,’ something like that. I don’t remember.”

“Before the ceremonial weigh-ins, Barboza Jr., he called me, and I thought we were just going to talk and say hi to each other, all good,” Ribovics said. “I’m always respectful. When he gives me his hand, he got a disrespectful attitude, and he said, ‘You’re sacred for tomorrow,’ and I said, ‘Hell no, why would I be scared?’ He then asked me why I missed weight and said if I wanted to get an advantage. I said, ‘No, this is the first time I don’t make weight. I almost died cutting the weight.'”

“They were outside, and I confronted Barboza, and that’s when Green stepped in and pushed me,” Ribovics said. “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.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

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