UFC fighters Brian Ortega and Mackenzie Dern steal Golden Globes moment while acting as security

Brian Ortega and Mackenzie Dern shocked many viewers when they appeared at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards on Sunday night, January 11, 2026, in Beverly Hills, California. The show aired live on CBS from the Beverly Hilton. Instead of actors, two UFC stars walked into one of Hollywood’s biggest nights.

Their quick on-stage moment was used to promote the UFC’s new seven-year deal with Paramount, which now owns the U.S. broadcast rights. The surprise appearance showed how far mixed martial arts has come, as UFC fighters were placed right in the middle of a major entertainment awards show.

Brian Ortega and Mackenzie Dern make surprise Golden Globes appearance as UFC pushes Paramount deal

Brian Ortega and Mackenzie Dern appeared during a short segment in the live broadcast. They were dressed as security guards while escorting TV actors Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams onto the stage.

An announcer joked that the stars needed “extra security,” before revealing the two UFC fighters. The moment lasted less than a minute, but it quickly caught attention online.

MMA and Hollywood aficionados posted clips on social media. Many viewers were astounded to find UFC competitors highlighted at an awards show honoring cinema and television.

The segment also quietly pushed the UFC’s new media deal. In 2025, UFC president Dana White signed a $7.7 billion agreement with Paramount, making it the new home of UFC broadcasts in the United States.



The appearance also carried history behind it. At the 2017 Golden Globes, actress Meryl Streep once said that if outsiders were pushed out of America, viewers would be left with “football and mixed martial arts, which are not the arts.”

Nearly ten years later, UFC fighters were featured at the same event. Dana White had strongly criticized that comment at the time.

While neither White nor Streep spoke publicly about Sunday’s moment, many fans saw the segment as a sign of how much MMA has grown.

Before the show, both fighters walked the red carpet. Mackenzie Dern, the current UFC women’s strawweight champion, wore a strapless purple dress and smiled for cameras.

Brian Ortega, a top featherweight contender, wore a black suit with a bow tie. They posed with celebrities, spoke briefly with reporters, and later shared photos from the night.

Their presence showed that UFC fighters are now part of mainstream entertainment spaces once closed to combat sports.

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