Esteban Ribovics, who is also known as ‘El Gringo’ will face veteran Edson Barboza on the UFC 330 main card in Philadelphia, setting up another significant UFC test. The lightweight clash is part of the card headlined by Islam Makhachev vs Ian Machado Garry. However, Ribovics’ goals go well beyond winning individual fights. In an exclusive interview with Times Now, the Argentine fighter talked about how much he admires the legendary football player Lionel Messi and shared a fantasy that sums up his goals: to become as well-known in Argentina for mixed martial arts as Messi is for football.
Ribovics told us that the same way Messi’s name is connected to football in Argentina, the fighter hopes to leave a lasting legacy in mixed martial arts.
Legacy Like Messi
But Ribovics’ biggest ambition goes beyond a single bout or even his UFC career. He disclosed the impact Lionel Messi has had on his athletic goals while discussing his Argentine identity.
“Messi is the number one in the world for me. Speak about the sport, he’s the number one. He’s my goal. I want my name here, same like Messi in the football. When you say Ribovics, they say, Oh MMA,” Esteban Ribovics told Times Now in an interview arranged by Sony Sports Network.
Ribovics responded simply when asked whether he wanted to become the ‘Messi of UFC’.
“Yes, this is my dream,” Ribovics said.
Lionel Messi is more than just a legendary athlete to Ribovics. The Argentine UFC fighter talked passionately about Messi’s prominence in sports and described how the legendary football player has impacted the legacy he aspires to create in mixed martial arts. In the future, Ribovics hopes his name will be associated with his sport in Argentina in a similar way.
For Ribovics, the parallel is not so much about duplicating Messi’s accomplishments as it is about the impact he hopes to create. In the same way that Messi’s name is closely associated with football, he believes that his name will eventually become closely associated with mixed martial arts.
Ribovics Faces Barboza Challenge
Edson Barboza’s reputation makes this fight important for Esteban Ribovics. Prior to their UFC 330 match, the Argentine remembers watching Barboza while he was starting his own professional career and claimed that the veteran’s reputation has inspired him.
“It’s one of the biggest fights because he’s a legend. I saw him like 11 years ago when I started my first professional fight. I watched him a lot, and yeah, he’s a legend that motivates me a lot,” Esteban said.
Although he has not stated that he will retire, Barboza has admitted that his fight with Ribovics at UFC 330 might be his last. According to Ribovics, sharing the Octagon with the veteran is an honour, and he respects the chance.
“It’s tough to hear that, but it is what it is. He is 40 years old. He is in the last part of his career. He says maybe it’s the last fight, maybe he would fight again. Depends how the body feels, but it’s an honour for me to fight with him. If this is his last fight, for me, it’s an honour,” he added.