Fight fans tuned in to UFC Freedom 250 expecting an unforgettable night of fights, but who knew that it would also provide an instant, viral romantic gesture that would divide social media? That’s exactly what happened as Mauricio Ruffy won more than just a fight in Washington, D.C.—he also secured a fiancé; however, his execution on the microphone has fans buzzing for all the wrong reasons.

The Brazilian seems to have broken the internet with his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. After defeating ‘Iron’, Ruffy read off a Bible verse before switching to a big question directed at his girlfriend, Nadine. The only catch? He did it entirely through his translator, and he didn’t bring a ring.

“A while ago when I met my wife Nadine, I really wanted to ask her to marry me,” he said via his translator. “But we didn’t have the money and didn’t have the conditions. Now, what better place to ask my wife to get married?

“Nadine, I love you. Would you marry me, since we’re right here in the White House?”

With all eyes on the cage, Nadine answered off-camera, forcing Joe Rogan to step in.

“She gave a thumbs up,” the UFC commentator announced. “Congratulations, sir, and congratulations on an amazing performance.”

Mauricio Ruffy’s post-fight proposal acted as a wild climax to what looked like a scheduled execution inside the cage. The 34-year-old striking phenom faced former Bellator champion Michael Chandler in a lightweight contest that many fans considered a mismatch.

Chandler, aged 40, was coming off a three-fight losing streak against Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira and Paddy Pimblett. The 29-year-old, meanwhile, was looking to build on the momentum of his second-round finish of Rafael Fiziev at UFC 325.

The fight itself was a master class in precision. ‘Iron’ started with intense pressure, desperate to time a double-leg takedown, but the Brazilian dodged the entries and picked him apart with a long jab. When Chandler’s back met the fence, Mauricio Ruffy cracked him with a clean right hand and a spinning kick, then dropped the veteran with a vicious uppercut.

Desperate to survive, Chandler ran across the cage; however, Ruffy tracked him down and delivered a liver punch before a second spinning kick felled ‘Iron’ for good, forcing a swift first-round referee intervention. And while the finish was definitely highlight-worthy, the talking point on social media remained the proposal that followed.

Fans are not impressed with Mauricio Ruffy’s UFC White House proposal

As soon as the translator finished speaking, fans began debating whether Mauricio Ruffy’s romantic gesture was a legendary show of confidence or a complete disaster. Not everyone was convinced by the White House romance.

Some criticised the star fighter for skipping out on the ring itself, leaving comments such as, “WTF was this? No ring?” and “What kind of proposal is this?”

More chimed in with some brutal words on the overall delivery and Nadine’s casual confirmation from the outside. A user tweeted, “What a sad way to get proposed to lol. Translator proposal is wild work.” Another added, “Thumbs up as an answer is crazy.”

On the other hand, many could easily appreciate the lightweight making the ultimate power move. After all, with Mauricio Ruffy completely destroying a divisional icon and quickly transitioning to family life, many fans felt his sheer bravado practically spoke for itself.

“Imagine getting TKO’d and the guy immediately proposes afterward,” one fan joked. Another added, “Knocked a man out and secured a wife in the same night.”

Others simply enjoyed seeing the Brazilian’s “aura” expand on such a massive stage. “Ruffy just KOd a former champion and proposed at the White House bro is him,” one fan wrote. Another declared, “Knocking a dude out then proposing at the White House straight aura.”

Of course, this isn’t the first time the Octagon has doubled as a bridal boutique. Cage proposals have a long history in the promotion, with one of the most memorable being Alexander Gustafsson‘s 2017 proposal to his girlfriend in Stockholm after defeating Glover Teixeira.

Another recent example was Jose Ochoa‘s proposal at UFC 328, when he popped the question during his post-fight interview while his fiancée watched on a screen back in Brazil. Ring or no ring, Mauricio Ruffy now leaves the nation’s capital with his ranking intact and a wedding to plan.