The UFC Octagon has seen countless fierce battles, but heartwarming moments like the one at UFC 328 are rare. On Saturday night in Newark, New Jersey, Jose Ochoa, who kicked off the early prelims against Clayton Carpenter, created an unforgettable scene.
After securing a decision victory over Carpenter, Ochoa grabbed the microphone alongside color commentator Joe Rogan and pulled out a ring, then proposed to his girlfriend, who was not even present in the arena.
“I want to do something special for my soon-to-be wife, the mother of my child,” Ochoa said through a translator. “Do you wanna marry me?”
Although his girlfriend was back home in Brazil during the proposal, the 25-year-old didn’t have to wait long for an answer. During his post-fight press conference, Ochoa revealed the response to his public marriage proposal.
“She said yes because she was waiting for that moment,” Ochoa told reporters.
This was Ochoa’s fourth fight in the promotion, bringing his record to 2-2. He debuted in November 2024 with a loss to Lone’er Kavanagh, bounced back with a win over Cody Durden, but then dropped a decision to Asu Almabayev in July last year. However, this is not the first time a proposal has happened inside the cage.
A similar event occurred in May 2017, but with a key difference: the girlfriend was inside the cage. After one of the biggest wins of his career, Alexander Gustafsson invited his girlfriend, Moa Antonia Johansson, into the cage moments after defeating Glover Teixeira in a thrilling five-round battle in Stockholm.
Still bloodied and wearing his gloves, Gustafsson kissed her cheek before whispering an emotional message.
“I love you, and thanks for having our kid, our baby. I love you with all my heart, now do you want [to] marry me?”
Johansson immediately said yes, igniting a celebration in the crowd. That proposal became one of the most wholesome moments in UFC history. To top it off, Gustafsson also earned a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus for his war with Teixeira.
Who knew proposing in the Octagon could guarantee an immediate yes? For Jose Ochoa, the celebrations are twofold: he not only won the fight but also got a yes from his girlfriend.