Mauricio Ruffy KOs King Green With Spinning Kick
Mauricio Ruffy delivered one of UFC 313’s most memorable finishes, knocking out King Green with a spinning wheel kick at 2:07 of the first round. The lightweight bout took place on the main card March 8, 2025, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The strike ended Green’s night immediately and gave Ruffy a highlight-reel win in his UFC rise.
A short setup led to a spectacular finish
The opening minutes were measured as the fighters looked for range. Ruffy connected with a right hand that caught Green’s attention, then feinted with his lead hand and spun into a wheel kick. The strike landed to the side of Green’s head and dropped him face-first to the canvas. The referee stepped in at 2:07 of round one, recording the result as a knockout by spinning wheel kick.
The finish showcased Ruffy’s timing as much as his athleticism. Green had decades of experience and was entering his 50th professional bout, but the sequence unfolded too quickly for him to recover. Ruffy’s right hand created the opening, and the follow-up kick landed cleanly before Green could reset his defense.
A breakthrough moment for Ruffy
Ruffy arrived at UFC 313 as a fast-rising lightweight from Brazil’s Fighting Nerds team. The knockout marked his second straight UFC victory and strengthened his reputation as an explosive prospect at 155 pounds. He earned a Performance of the Night bonus for the finish, which was widely replayed after the event.
Green was left with a difficult loss but later said he was not done competing. The veteran had remained active against high-level lightweights for years, and the result did not erase that body of work. It did, however, give Ruffy a signature win over one of the division’s most recognizable names.
A highlight on the UFC 313 main card
UFC 313 featured a new light heavyweight champion in Magomed Ankalaev, a Fight of the Night rematch between Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev, and several other decisive results. Ruffy’s one-strike finish was among the biggest highlights of the card. The UFC’s official scorecards list Green’s knockout at 2:07, and the promotion’s main card recap includes the finish and Ruffy’s post-fight interview.
Since the UFC 313 knockout, Ruffy has faced another top lightweight. Arman Tsarukyan stopped him by first-round KO at 4:56 at UFC 331 on September 19, 2026. Green’s most recent bout was a first-round TKO loss to Esteban Ribovics at UFC 332 on October 3. The official UFC 331 results and UFC 332 results record both outcomes.
Ruffy spoke in the Octagon after the win. Watch his interview below.
