Esteban Ribovics Promises More ‘Bang-Bang’ On Saturday Night
All-Action Lightweight Forecasting More Excitement Ahead Of Massive Weekend For UFC’s Argentinian Contingent
It hasn’t taken long for Esteban Ribovics to establish himself as someone whose name fight fans circle whenever it appears on an upcoming card, as it does this weekend in Las Vegas.
A member of the Dana White’s Contender Series graduating class of 2022, the 29-year-old has consistently delivered exciting performances throughout his first five trips into the Octagon, but it wasn’t until last year that audiences really started paying close attention to “El Gringo.” In May, he rolled into St. Louis and made quick work of Terrance McKinney, felling him with a thudding high kick just 37 seconds into the fight. Four months later, he paired off with Daniel Zellhuber for one of the best fights of 2024, landing on the happy side of a split decision verdict in the second bout of the UFC 306 pay-per-view main card from Sphere.
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And earlier this year, Ribovics again when shot-for-shot over 15 minutes, teaming up with Nasrat Haqparast to garner a second straight Fight of the Night bonus, this time landing on the unfavorable side of the scorecards.
“I think people are seeing right now that they know what I’m made of, they know what I’m capable of, and they know that if I’m there, I came to show what I’m about — that I came to put on a show, that I’m a savage, and that’s what you can expect,” said Ribovics, who takes on Brazilian Elves Brener in a must-see lightweight pairing this weekend at the UFC APEX. “I came here to take what’s mine.
“I like the challenge, I like that it’s a tough opponent that is gonna put up a challenge out there. I like the fact also that the opponent enjoys it, as well. I liked my last fights.
“There is gonna be a lot of bang-bang there on Saturday,” added the Argentine. “It may be another show, it may be another bonus. I’d rather it be a Performance of the Night bonus than a Fight of the Night bonus, but whatever; we’ll take it.”
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While there is no way to just snap your fingers and get a finish or avoid a protracted battle like the ones he’s engaged in over his past two appearances, Ribovics does some have thoughts on what may be contributing to his string of longer bouts, and why he needs to break from that pattern.
“What’s going on right now is people have too much film on me,” he said with a laugh. “I’m having these 15-minute fights, and I don’t want people to have film on me, so I’m not going to give them any film anymore.
Esteban Ribovics Knocks Out Terrance McKinney In Round One | UFC St. Louis
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Esteban Ribovics Knocks Out Terrance McKinney In Round One | UFC St. Louis
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“Sometimes I start on the slow end and then I finish off strong, and I think I’ve had other opportunities where I started very strong — if you see the McKinney fight and fights before the UFC — so that’s something to (focus on),” added the 14-2 lightweight, who began his career with 10 consecutive wins and a 100-percent finishing rate before reaching the UFC. “Sometimes I just can’t go crazy, always wanting to take that head off; sometimes I have to be more strategic.”
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This weekend, there is likely to be a little bit of both when he steps in against Brener.
A member of the acclaimed Chute Boxe Diego Lima team, the 27-year-old Brazilian came out of the gates quickly in the UFC, registering a trio of victories in his rookie year to establish himself as a name to watch in the lightweight division heading into last year. Unfortunately for Brener, he wasn’t able to maintain that success during his sophomore campaign, as he dropped a decision to Myktybek Orolbai in May before becoming the latest victim of Spanish finisher Joel Alvarez three months later, sending him into this one on a two-fight skid that he’s undoubtedly desperate to steer out of on Saturday.
“First of all, he’s a complete fighter — someone that likes to stand and exchange, but he also has a ground game,” began Ribovics when asked for his thoughts on Brener. “But he’s been knocked out, so I have that going for me, and that’s what people have to wait for: that he falls.”
He offered that forecast with a smirk, but Ribovics is definitely heading into this weekend with a different level of energy and confidence than he’s had in the past, and it’s likely due to a very special situation that is brewing in Las Vegas this weekend.
Ribovics is one of five Argentinian fighters on the roster, along with welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio, Francisco Prado, Kevin Vallejos, and Ailin Perez.
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Vallejos faces Danny Silva this weekend in his second UFC start since punching his ticket to the big stage with an impressive showing last season on Dana White’s Contender Series. Perez will be there on Saturday to support him, while Prado will be in Ribovics’ corner.
And Ponzinibbio will be calling the fights for the UFC’s Spanish language broadcast.
“First and foremost, all of us are here because Santiago Ponzinibbio paved the way,” Ribovics began when asked about the ascent of the next generation of Argentine fighters. “He’s the one that was a trailblazer for all of us; he opened the doors for all of us now.
Full Fight | Esteban Ribovics vs Daniel Zellhuber
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Full Fight | Esteban Ribovics vs Daniel Zellhuber
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“To actually be sharing the card with “Chino” is a very seminal moment — we’re reunited, and when we’re together, we’re stronger. I’m gonna have Francisco Prado in my corner, and then Ailin is probably gonna be here as well to support Vallejos, and Santiago is gonna be on commentary, so we’re gonna be five people; we’re gonna have everybody together. I don’t think anybody can stop us with five people in the room on Saturday.
“The energy is at a very high level to have everyone together and have him on commentary,” continued Ribovics, the smile on his face growing wider the more he spoke about having all five Argentinian fighters on the roster in the building this weekend. “I was already with Francisco and Kevin yesterday — you can feel the energy.
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“It’s hard to describe it, but I can tell you one thing: to have everybody under the same roof, a great level of energy, the celebration will be even greater.”
As excited as he is to be a part of this moment, sharing the card with someone you’re close to — or a sibling — can often create challenges for whomever is poised to make the walk second, as Ribovics will do when he faces off with Brener.
We’ve seen siblings and teammates wrestle with the idea of watching their family members and training partners compete ahead of them — some benefitting by getting pumped up watching them shine, others faltering a little themselves after seeing them stumble first. It’s a natural thing to be impacted by seeing someone you’re close with go through such a visceral experience, whether good or bad, but Ribovics said that he’s simply looking at Vallejos’ fight earlier in the night against Silva as added motivation, no matter the outcome.
“I’m gonna watch the fight and, regardless, I’m gonna feel motivated,” he said when asked how he’ll approach things this weekend at the APEX. “If he wins it, it’s extra motivation. I’m not gonna think about the other outcome, but whatever happens, it’s extra motivation, and I’m just gonna get some more motivation to represent the flag.”
And if all goes according to plan and both he and Vallejos come away victorious, the celebration is going to be electric… and heavy on the grilled proteins.
“With everybody together, the barbecue is gonna be great,” Ribovics said with a grin, envisioning the post-fight celebration with his compatriots. “A lot of meats, and it’s gonna be amazing!”