King Green attacked Makhachev and Chimaev

King Green did not hold back when he talked about Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev.

The UFC veteran criticized their recent title fights and said he was not impressed by the way they used wrestling and control. Green said he respects grappling, but he does not like fights where one fighter holds position without chasing real damage or a finish.

His strongest line was aimed at both men. Green said Makhachev and Chimaev had some of the “most horrible title fights” he has ever seen. That is a heavy shot, especially because he is not speaking as a fan from outside the sport. Green has been inside the UFC for years, shared the cage with elite fighters, and even fought Makhachev himself.

Green’s point was simple. He wants fighters to create something fans will remember. He does not want title fights to feel like long rounds of control with very little danger. In his view, winning matters, but the way a fighter wins matters too.

Green says fans want action

Green has never been shy about his own style. He likes to fight in a way that makes people react. Sometimes that has helped him. Sometimes it has cost him badly. But he has always leaned into action, exchanges and risk.

That is why his criticism sounds personal. He does not see fighting only as a scoreboard. He sees it as a performance too. Green said some wrestlers compete like they are only trying to beat the other man, not make a fight people want to watch again.

He also made it clear that he is not against wrestling itself. His own recent win over Jeremy Stephens came by submission. The problem, for Green, is not grappling. The problem is grappling without urgency.

That part gives his words more bite. He is not saying every fight needs wild striking. He is saying fans want movement, damage, pressure and attempts to finish. If wrestling brings that, he respects it. If it only freezes the fight, he does not.

• King Green criticized Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev for recent title fights.
• He said their fights were among the most horrible title fights he has seen.
• Green said he respects grappling when fighters use it to attack.
• He believes fans want action, damage and finishes, not just control.
• Green recently submitted Jeremy Stephens at UFC 328.

Makhachev and Chimaev bring different pressure

Makhachev and Chimaev are not the same fighter, but Green grouped them together because of how they can control opponents.

Makhachev has built his UFC run on pressure, balance, clinch work, top control and sharp finishing instincts. He can strike, but his best work still comes from putting opponents in bad positions and keeping them there. Green knows that well. Makhachev stopped him in 2022, and that fight gave Green a close look at how quickly Makhachev can take over.

Chimaev brings a different kind of force. His early rounds can feel like a storm. He shoots fast, chains positions, attacks the back and makes opponents deal with physical pressure right away. When it works, it can look overwhelming. When it slows down, critics start asking whether the fight becomes too heavy on control.

That is the line Green is pushing on. He is not questioning whether they are good. He is questioning whether the style gives fans the kind of title fights they want to remember.

Green’s own style explains the criticism

Green’s words fit the way he has fought for most of his career. He is not a careful fighter who built his name by avoiding danger. He talks in the cage, trades in the pocket, takes risks and tries to make the crowd feel something.

That approach is not always safe. Green has taken hard losses because of it. He has also built a career that fans remember because his fights rarely feel empty. That is the difference he is pointing to when he talks about Makhachev and Chimaev.

There will always be a split in MMA over this. Some fans care only about winning. Others want champions to win in a way that feels exciting. Green is clearly on the second side. He wants elite fighters to use elite skill with more urgency.

The debate will not go away. Makhachev and Chimaev have both reached the top because their games work. Opponents know what is coming and still struggle to stop it. That is part of what makes them so hard to beat.

But Green is asking for more than control. He wants violence with purpose. He wants grappling that moves toward a finish. He wants title fights that do not feel like long stretches of waiting.

Fans can argue with him, but they will understand exactly what he means. In a sport where champions are judged by wins and memories, Green is saying the memory part still matters.