King Green Submits Jeremy Stephens in Round 1 at UFC 328
Bobby "King" Green submitted Jeremy Stephens by choke in Round 1 of their lightweight bout at UFC 328. Green came in as the heavy favorite and fought like one, dominating the full five minutes before locking in the choke just before the horn.
Bobby Green vs Jeremy Stephens - How the fight played out
Bobby Green controlled all aspects of the fight immediately. He kept both fists low to the body, flowed into and out of the pocket, and verbally abused Jeremy Stephens through nearly each exchange. Stephens, returning to action inside the Octagon after a long hiatus (six-fights) and having lost six-straight in the UFC, searched for one major blow; however, was unable to land a clean one.
Green dodged Stephens’ power shots, fired back quickly using a tight jab and accumulated heavy damage in the striking department throughout the one sided opening frame. In the final minute of the frame, Green made his move. He walked Stephens into a clinch situation, took him to the mat and assumed complete control in a dominant position. From there, Green secured the choke and Stephens gave up tapping before the horn could signal an end to the round.
What this victory means for Bobby Green
With this victory, Green’s winning streak now sits at three-fight and officially announced his arrival onto the UFC 328 highlight reel. Green didn’t simply defeat a top contender; he broke them down over time and finished them in the first-round on a card headlined by a middleweight championship match.
For a lightweight veteran who is in his mid-30’s and has repeatedly been dismissed, the statement was clear: Green continues to close fights, continues to draw attention on a stacked card and does so on his own terms. Every trademark of Green landed from the hands-down fighting stance to the verbal abuse of Stephens while they were face-to-face in the octagon to the late finish with a submission hold.
What is next for Jeremy Stephens?
Stephens received a wake-up call Saturday night. He returned to action in hopes of restarting his career after suffering six consecutive losses in the UFC. Unfortunately for “Lil Heathen”, that effort will remain unfinished. Stephens showed up to compete, accepted the challenge, but was unable to land a single powerful blow that he had hoped to find. Currently, Stephens is at a crossroads in his professional mixed martial arts career.
Despite retaining his knockout ability and possessing the name recognition along with a loyal fan base; the lightweight division has advanced rapidly since he last competed in the division. Furthermore, another loss to a high-level veteran such as Green places serious doubt regarding how far Stephens can continue competing within the UFC.
