At times, no one does cringe quite like the UFC. Did you ever expect to see it at the Golden Globes, though?
And there’s no way to put it delicately: Cringeworthy is the best term. Like Henry Cejudo against Colby Covington in a promo-cutting contest, but with Tito Ortiz as the special – like, really, really, really “special” – guest referee.
Paramount+ took over as the UFC’s broadcast partner this year after the promotion spent seven years with ESPN. Paramount Skydance owns CBS, which broadcast the Golden Globes, which also were streamed on Paramount+. Now that the UFC will have more than 40 live events a year on the streamer, it’s only natural there will be some crossover branding.
So in that vein, the Globes worked a bit into the show that had a pair of UFC fighters brought out to provide “extra security” for the next two presenters. Women’s strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern and Brian Ortega walked to the center of the stage in full walkout gear and Dern with her belt. They made a quick look at the crowd of A-listers, then walked off the stage on separate sides.
Neither Dern nor Ortega were introduced by name, but rather brought out (to “Face the Pain” by 5TEMM) because “our next two presenters are so hot right now, they get mobbed everywhere they go – so we had to bring in some extra security from the UFC.”
Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, stars of the HBO series “Heated Rivalry” about a pair of closeted gay hockey players in a secret years-long romance, were there to present – and in case they were mobbed by fans, Dern and Ortega were there to save the day. Har-de-har-har.
It is absolutely dripping with irony that an organization with as much history of homophobia as the UFC had two of its fighters used as the setup to a bit from a series about gay hockey players. DRIPPING, I say. (And the transition from “Face the Pain” to “Pink Pony Club” by Chappel Roan was brilliant, as well.)
Of course, it’s possible, if not likely, the whole thing was just brilliant placement by the Nikki Glaser-led writing staff – that if they were going to have crossover branding for the UFC forced on them by Paramount, maybe they could have some fun with it.
It’s possible they put the UFC gag out there ahead of Storrie and Williams so they could then sit back and let the “UFC bromance with gay hockey” jokes write themselves. Famous UFC hockey fan Georges St-Pierre himself would support it, no doubt.
But trying to imagine anyone from the UFC watching that bit and then thinking, “This made us look awesome and tons of people are gonna sign up now!” would be a stretch. The three key letters were said, and the logo was seen on screen. But it’s a safe bet that the return on investment from the marketing stunt is likely to be virtually nil in terms of new Paramount+ sign-ups.
Check out the clip above.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC has awkward Golden Globe Awards bit with ‘Heated Rivalry’ stars
