Even before he started (and excelled in) wrestling in high school, Bobby Green had been fighting. Fighting against the adverse conditions of his life, after he was placed in foster care at the tender age of five. Fighting against poverty and scarcity to take care of his children, which brought him to mixed martial arts.
And now Green fights for the most popular and competitive combat sports promotion in the world, the UFC, where he is one of the well-respected fighters in the stacked lightweight division. Always ready to scrap, the California native has an exciting, striking-first fighting style which has made him a must-watch TV for fans anytime he fights. However, none of this may have been possible if he hadn’t found the gym he trains at.
Meet Jacob Behney, Bobby Green’s coach and foster father
Bobby Green’s path to MMA wasn’t paved with privilege. It was built through struggle, resilience, and the guiding hand of a man who refused to let him slip away, Jacob Behney.
Before Green became the ‘King’ of the lightweight division, he was a restless fighter with raw talent but no direction. He dabbled in wrestling, took fights on a whim in Mexico, and bounced between gyms, never committing to one.
Then, fate led him to Pinnacle Mixed Martial Arts in Redlands, where he met Behney, the man who would change his life.
But Green wasn’t an easy student. He would show up once a week, if at all, before disappearing into the streets. Most coaches would have given up. Not Behney.
According to an interview with Fox Sports, Behney revealed, “I would show up to a house where there’s eight or nine big dudes hanging out in front, probably in some type of gang. And here I am, this fairly well-dressed white guy in a decent car and I’m looking for Bobby Green. All of them step up and say, ‘What the f—- you need to talk to him for?’”
Eventually, Green stopped hiding. Since then, he has never left Pinnacle MMA, despite offers from powerhouse gyms. Loyalty runs deep in Bobby Green’s veins, and he credits Behney not just for his success in the Octagon but for saving him from becoming just another statistic.
After his victory over Clay Guida in 2020, Green made sure the world knew exactly who had been in his corner all along. Pulling Behney close, he declared, “This is my father. I was born in foster care. I didn’t have a mother or father. They gave me away. My father wasn’t fit to be my father. This is my dad here, Jacob Behney. He’s been there since the beginning. He’s done everything. He’ll lay his life down for me, I’ll lay my life down for him. I don’t judge any man on the color of their skin but on the content of their character. We’re here, we love. It doesn’t matter what color, it’s all about love.”
A fighter’s success isn’t just built in the cage. It’s built by the people who refuse to let them fall. And for Bobby Green, that person was Jacob Behney.
Which gym does Bobby Green train at? New coach and teammates
Pinnacle MMA remains Bobby ‘King’ Green’s home to this day, but every warrior aims to sharpen their skills with a variety of training partners. To expand his skill set, Green also trains at Icon MMA in Moreno Valley.
At Icon MMA, he surrounds himself with a crew of battle-tested fighters. His teammates, Greg Guzman, Reuben Duran, Willie Gates, and Rick James, bring a mix of experience and unique fighting styles, pushing him to evolve with every session.
And when Bobby Green steps into the Octagon, he’s not just fighting for himself. He’s fighting for the man who found him, the gym that made him, and the teammates who sharpen his skills.
Now at UFC 313, he’s set to take on the surging and dangerous, Mauricio Ruffy. ‘King’s last outing against Paddy Pimblett ended in a submission loss in the first round, but with his team by his side, you can never count him out. Do you think Bobby ‘King’ Green will be able to return to his winning ways at UFC 313? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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