The UFC has mastered the art of entertainment, but at times, its promotional strategies are completely out of touch with reality. That’s exactly what happened during the 2026 Golden Globes when Mackenzie Dern and Brian Ortega made a bizarre, wordless appearance that left viewers scratching their heads.

The incident took place immediately after The Secret Agent was awarded Best Motion Picture in the non-English language category. As the lights flickered, the two MMA fighters silently stepped onto the platform, moved downstage, and simply exited without uttering a single word. Fans didn’t just find it awkward, they found it insulting, especially since meaningful awards like Best Score were relegated to commercial breaks while this promotional stunt got precious airtime.

Make no mistake, Mackenzie Dern and Brian Ortega are legitimate stars in their own world. Dern, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu phenom turned UFC contender, commands massive respect in the strawweight division, while the California-born fighter remains one of the most exciting featherweights in the sport. Both fighters are very popular in the world of MMA, but the Golden Globes? That’s a different arena entirely.

The hardcore UFC fans instantly knew who they were. However, the vast majority of the audience at the Globes, comprising actors, directors, film critics, and occasional viewers, were completely unaware of these two fighters and their reason for crashing the biggest movie event of the year.

The confusion was palpable, and it raised an important question. Was this an awkward misstep, or is the UFC genuinely trying to break into mainstream cultural spaces where combat sports traditionally don’t belong?

Fans don’t hold back: social media reacts to UFC’s Golden Globes cameo

The internet performed at its best. It reacted quickly and without mercy. Some wondered if Ortega and Dern were dating, but the majority was trying to understand what they had just witnessed. Social media was filled with confusion and ridicule. The UFC fans, who cringed at the embarrassing portrayal on the one hand, and the Golden Globes audience, who wondered why two fighters interrupted their awards show on the other, all agreed that this was not it.

One viewer captured the sentiment perfectly, writing, “One of the downsides of UFC being mainstream, absolute cringe lol.” Another fan couldn’t help but joke about the UFC’s biggest star being noticeably absent, asking, “So where’s Poatan??” Others kept it simple and direct, “This looks awkward,” and “What a weird forced moment…” captured the general confusion. Perhaps the harshest criticism came directed at Ortega himself, with one fan pointing out, “Brian Ortega on a losing streak and can’t even make weight.”

The reactions painted a clear picture: this crossover attempt not only missed the mark, but it backfired spectacularly. Whether the UFC learns from this misstep or doubles down on these mainstream pushes remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain, fans from both worlds weren’t buying what they were selling on Sunday night.

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