WATCH: Mauricio Ruffy Proposes to Girlfriend Nadine at UFC Freedom 250
Victorious fghter Mauricio Ruffy proposed to his girlfriend after his June 14, 2026, UFC Freedom 250 match on the White House lawn. Or maybe she's his wife. He muddled it all a bit by referring to Nadine as his wife while proposing to her. But he was using an interpreter so that might have contributed.
Luckily, she said yes, sending the proposal video viral on Instagram and X. " Mauricio Ruffy proposes to his girlfriend on the White House lawn after his first round finish vs. Michael Chandler and she said yes," wrote the Instagram page,Home of Fight, sharing photos from the match. The video shows Ruffy's proposal was delivered through an interpreter, and she responded with a thumb's up.
It was an all-around good night for Ruffy. "Ruffy stunted on Michael Chandler and earned a first-round knockout victory in a featured lightweight matchup at UFC Freedom 250," reported Sportsnet.ca. The fight was set up on the White House lawn.
Mauricio Ruffy Used an Interpreter for the Big Proposal to His Girlfriend, Who Responded With a Thumb's Up, the Video Shows
Mauricio Ruffy proposes to his girlfriend via interpreter
— Dovy (@DovySimuMMA) June 15, 2026
His girlfriend: #UFCWhiteHousepic.twitter.com/NTxIEtBRIq
Ruffy used an interpreter for the big moment. "What better place to ask my wife to get married?" Ruffy's translator said. "Nadine, I love you. Would you marry me, since we're right here at the White House?"
Joe Rogan responded, "She gave a thumbs up."
It's unclear why Ruffy's interpreter referred to Nadine as already being Ruffy's wife, though. As a result, TMZ reported that it's possible Ruffy is already married.
Either way, fans enjoyed the moment. "Proposed on the White House lawn before a UFC fight. Ruffy is living life on his own terms. Beautiful moment," wrote one X user. "Bro had the perfect game plan for the entire day," another person wrote.
"Legendary night. KO'd Chandler, then proposed at the White House? That's main character energy," added another X user. "Knocked Chandler out cold then voluntarily tapped to marriage in the same night.. legend," another person added.
Other fans were equally impressed. "Imagine getting TKO'd and the guy immediately proposes afterward. That's not a victory lap, that's psychological warfare," wrote one.A fan responded, "Knocked a man out and secured a wife in the same night. Legendary performance." Added another, "Didn't see this coming if he did it in the ring then he knew he was gonna win and propose." Other fans wondered whether Ruffy would have still proposed if he didn't win.
Who Is Mauricio Ruffy?
Who is Ruffy? He is a UFC fighter from Brazil. According to ESPN, he is a 29-year-old lightweight. His given name is Mauricio De Lima Santos. His affiliation is listed as the Fighting Nerds.
The White House fight was unusual. "For just the third time since the UFC was created in 1993, the promotion heads to Washington," ESPN noted. "The UFC is hosting an outdoor fight card at a custom-built, open-air arena on the White House's South Lawn."
Ruffy has a large following on Instagram, but he posts mostly about his career there, keeping his personal life to himself.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 14, 2026 at 11:10 PM.