Bobby Green on mid-fight trash talk at UFC on ESPN+31: ‘I’m just that crazy’

Bobby Green explains why he feels the need to chat with his opponents during fights.

LAS VEGAS — [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] proved Saturday night he can multi-task quite well.

The UFC lightweight veteran did plenty of trash talking while fighting Lando Vannata on the main card of UFC on ESPN+31. Green (26-10-1 MMA, 7-5-1 UFC) talked all the way through to his unanimous decision win over Vannata, a rematch that stemmed from a split draw in 2017.

Green admits you have to be a bit off the rails to do what he usually does during his fights.

“Man, you have to be a crazy person because the more you talk the more you take out of yourself,” Green told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at the UFC on ESPN+31 post-fight conference. “I’m just that crazy. Emotions are high, you heart rate is high, he’s like, ‘There’s no way you’re talking and still into the fight.’ Yes, I’m still in the fight and I felt every punch. I went, ‘A little bit here,’ or, ‘Oh, no, you touched me here.’ I’m just telling him and letting him know I’m right in the fight there with you.

“Don’t think that I’m disrespectful in any way because some people see my talking as (expletive) talking, but no it’s just communication. It’s just fun. I’m just letting him know I’m right there with you, buddy. ‘No that didn’t hit my face, it kind of graced my forehead, but I wouldn’t count that as shot.’ Or then I let you know, ‘Oh, oh, ok, that was in. Ok.”

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Green is now 2-0 in 2020, having outpointed Clay Guida in June. The 33-year-old from California seems to be having a career resurgence.

In the buildup to the Vannata rematch, things might have looked tense between the two, but Green assures there was no ill will intended towards his opponent. He believes the trash talk and the hype was all part of the show.

“No animosity, no animosity, Green explained. “I’m just letting him know this is serious business because he said I hadn’t changed and oh boy, oh boy. He learned today.

“It’s no animosity to anybody I fight. I just bring the energy, that’s what you want to see. You want to see us come, you want a show, I’m going to give you that. That’s just what it is.”

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