Mauricio Ruffy’s wild head kick knockout of King Green at UFC 313 was in the works for weeks ahead of his pay-per-view showcase.
UFC lightweight Mauricio Ruffy might’ve changed his life forever with one kick at UFC 313. But while his knockout finished shocked the masses, it was part of a calculated strategy on the talented Brazilian’s part.
Ruffy and longtime lightweight mainstay King Green kicked off the main card at UFC 313 in a highly anticipated bout. Ruffy, a Dana White’s Contender Series graduate, surged towards the lightweight Top 15 with back-to-back wins ahead of the pay-per-view showcase with Green.
Many felt that UFC 313 would be part of Ruffy’s coronation as a lightweight star to watch for years. If that’s the case, Ruffy’s performance wasn’t a highlight that resulted from an instinctual reaction.
Mauricio Ruffy manifested UFC 313 knockout of King Green
Ruffy needed just two minutes to land one of the most vicious knockouts you’ll ever see inside the Octagon. As Ruffy pressured Green against the cage, he landed a perfectly timed spinning wheel kick to Green’s chin that shut the lights off for the UFC fan favorite.
Ruffy’s win dropped jaws throughout T-Mobile Arena as referee Chris Tognoni and medical personnel quickly attended to an unconscious Green inside the cage. The talented Brazilian proved he’s for real, but while his highlight reel finish shocked the masses, it capped off weeks of rigorous preparation for the puzzle that Green presents his opponents.
As Ruffy shared on X hours after his career-defining moment, he envisioned finishing Green with a spinning wheel kick for weeks ahead of UFC 313. While Ruffy might not have seen the fight playing out as it did, he was well prepared for the opening to surface as he had Green on the back foot.
“The struggle is often the reflection of a job well done,” Ruffy commented.
Mauricio Ruffy adds to Conor McGregor comparisons at UFC 313
Ruffy drew comparisons to former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor almost immediately after his promotional debut at UFC 301. With a similar back tattoo and fighting stance, Ruffy hasn’t disappointed fans during his three-fight stint inside the Octagon.
McGregor had a similar manifestation earlier in his career on his road to superstardom. Ahead of his featherweight title unification bout against José Aldo at UFC 194, McGregor predicted and executed the one-punch knockout to stop Aldo’s long title reign.
The one-punch finish propelled McGregor to the top of MMA, and while Ruffy has a long way to go to accomplish similar success, the comparisons between the two athletes are astounding.
Ruffy’s knockout was one of many top highlights at UFC 313. This includes Carlos Leal’s destructive win over Alex Morono and Ankalaev’s upset win over Alex Pereira in the main event.
Despite some calls to retire after UFC 313, Green promised fans he’d be back after the loss to Ruffy. He’s lost three of his last four fights, with all three of those losses coming by stoppage.
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