Dana White had a serious “wait, what?” moment after learning that UFC veteran Bobby ‘King’ Green is homeless and living out of his car. The UFC CEO had no idea the lightweight veteran was in that situation, and when he heard about it, he struggled to understand how it could be possible.
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“How’s that possible? I have not heard that. I hope that’s not true,” White told Complex during a recent interview. “He just fought, like, and he fought back-to-back recently, and he makes damn good money. I haven’t heard any of that, no. You’re dropping all kinds of f—— news bombs on me today.”
It’s easy to understand why White was caught off guard. Green has fought three times this year, and his latest outing against Terrance McKinney at UFC 329 in July ended with a first-round knockout and earned him a Performance of the Night bonus. Yet despite remaining active and earning well inside the Octagon, the 40-year-old recently revealed that he is currently homeless and living out of his car.
The situation is even more unusual because Green, in the same livestream, claimed he owns nine houses. So, how does a UFC veteran with multiple houses end up without a place to live? According to the 36-17 fighter, his friends occupy his homes, while a recent breakup has left him without a place to stay.
In other words, King Green’s situation is not a straightforward financial issue. The veteran explained that he had been staying with his girlfriend, but after their relationship ended a few days ago, he found himself living out of his car. And rather than presenting the situation as a crisis, the UFC lightweight seemed to treat it as another unusual chapter in his life.
“I’ve been living in my car. I got like nine houses, but I’m f—— homeless right now,” Green said on the Kick stream. “All my homies live in all of my homes and s—, so I’m f—— living out of my car as we speak. It’s crazy, you know?
“It’s just a part of life, bro. And I just want to show people real life. I deal with s— like this all the time.”
The revelation is particularly surprising given the stage of Green’s career. The 40-year-old is riding a four-fight winning streak and has continued to produce big wins inside the Octagon.
But despite his recent success and the properties he owns, King Green still doesn’t have a place to call home. For now, he plans to deal with it after his next fight, which is at UFC 332 in October against Esteban Ribovics.
“I had a girlfriend at the time, so I was staying with my girlfriend… then we broke up a couple days ago,” Green continued. “So, I’ll find a spot after this fight. I’ll figure something out.”
Green’s situation is also different from the stories of fighters like Ronda Rousey and Francis Ngannou, both of whom were homeless before they found success in the UFC. In Green’s case, he is already there, but still without a home.
The UFC veteran’s comments also come at a time when fighter pay in the promotion is under the microscope. The UFC’s reported move toward a landmark seven-year, $7.7 billion broadcast agreement with Paramount has only added fuel to the conversation, with former UFC champion Ronda Rousey among those publicly criticizing how fighters are treated, especially in light of the emergence of rival promotions like MVP.
“I think it’s really important that we raise the ceiling, but also that we raise the floor,” Rousey said during her NYC Press Conference ahead of MVP MMA 1. “And one thing that I’m really proud of in this fight is the absolute minimum that anybody will walk away with, even if they don’t have a big, long record, and even if they lose, is $40,000.
“If you fight three times in a year, that is much more than a living wage. That is something that the UFC cannot say.”
So, yes, the money conversation around the UFC is getting louder. But for King Green, there’s something far more personal going on right now.
The lightweight was recently seen breaking down in a gym after receiving heartbreaking news about a close friend of his, Amy, being diagnosed with leukemia.
Now, with his living situation still up in the air, the 40-year-old has a lot more on his plate than one can contend with, especially ahead of a big fight. His next bout could extend his four-fight winning streak, but right now, his career is only one part of what King Green is navigating.