Kicking off the UFC 313 main card, promising 155-lb prospect Mauricio Ruffy takes on divisional fan-favorite King Green. In a classic up-and-comer versus established name matchup, both striking experts will engage in what could easily go down as Fight of the Night.
Return of Lightweight King Green
Returning to action after an almost eight month lay off since suffering a first round submission loss to Paddy Pimblett at UFC 304, King Green (32-16-1, 1 NC MMA, 13-11-1-1 NC UFC) battles yet another young talented competitor. A staple addition to the UFC roster since 2013, the Pinnacle MMA product has thrown down with some of the greatest lightweights ever such as Edson Barboza, Tony Ferguson,Dustin Poirier and Islam Makhachev.
1-2 in his past three contests, King Green will be looking to rebound in a big way at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Having once resided in the top 15 at 155-lb, the nearly 50 fight veteran stands perhaps just one big win away from punching his ticket to a ranked opponent in his next trip to the cage.
Nerdy Athlete From Brazil Set to Face Sternest Opposition Yet in King Green
Coming up through the competitive Brazilian regional scene, Ruffy (11-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has carved a swath through every single adversary he has fought since losing his last bout to Manoel Sousa in 2019. Compiling several championships across various promotions, the Fighting Nerds representative competed on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023, netting his UFC contract with a third round knockout over Raimond Magomedaliev.
Getting his first ever Octagon assignment at UFC 301, Ruffy locked horns with the experienced Australian native Jamie Mullarkey. Proving his nickname, “One Shot,” wasn’t just for show, the Brazilian delivered a devastating flying knee to his foe before finishing the fight with ground strikes.
His most recent pugilistic endeavor came against James Llontop at UFC 309, where he won a clear but competitive unanimous decision. Now, he has the opportunity to firmly cement himself as a fresh, new prospect at lightweight against King Green on Saturday night.
King Green vs. Mauricio Ruffy: Official Prediction
What is on display here at UFC 313 is an entertaining dust up between two men who excel in the striking arts. However, both have distinct advantages in this pairing, with King Green holding the edge in overall experience and skill. Though, while he may not have as many bouts as the American, Ruffy is still ten years younger, meaning he hasn’t accrued as much damage to his longevity that Green has. At first glance, this scuffle can be viewed as a coin flip, but the youth of the Brazilian will play a significant part in the contest.
Official Prediction: Mauricio Ruffy by Unanimous Decision.
In a recent episode of the Couch Warrior Podcast, host Mike welcomed Charalampos Grigoriou, who recently won a contract during season 7 of Dana White's Contender Series after knocking out Cameron Smotherman one minute into the fight. The conversation delved into Grigoriou's martial arts journey, his feelings on representing Cyprus and Greece, and future plans.
