Julian Marquez had a big night at UFC 258.
The Cuban Missile Crisis got into the UFC via a head kick KO of Phil Hawes at Dana White’s Contender Series 4 on August 1, 2017. Next, he guillotined Darren Stewart at UFC on Fox 26 in the Fight of the Night, and the future looked bright.
However, at The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale on December 16, 2018, Marquez missed weight by four pounds, then lost a Split Decision to Alessio Di Chirico, and suffered a fully torn latissimus dorsi that required two surgeries. Marquez wouldn’t fight for years.
He was scheduled to fight Saparbek Safarov on August 29, 2020, but pandemic travel restrictions moved that one to November 14, 2020. Safarov pulled out the day before with weigh-ins issues. Marquez finally got a fight Saturday night vs. Maki Pitolo, and after two rounds, he appeared to be behind on the judge’s scorecards. But he took it out of their hands with an Anaconda choke in the final minute of Round 3.
According to the MMA Math calculations, this puts him plainly in the GOAT conversation.
https://twitter.com/BestFightPicks/status/1360795271685373952
But it gets better still. At the post-fight press conference, as usual, most fighters used the moment to call for a career-enhancing fight. It was by then Valentine’s Day somewhere, and Marquez had higher goals. He had walked out to Miley Cyrus’s cover of Blondie’s Heart of Glass, and made his intentions clear.
I’ve been waiting 31 months to get on this damn mic, and to call these people out right now, said Marquez. This’s my time to shine … so Miley Cyrus, will you be my Valentines?
https://twitter.com/espnmma/status/1360797304719048705
“Miley, you heard the callout, it’s your time to respond,” said commentator Joe Rogan. The odds seemed unlikely but Cyrus is a longtime MMA fan, as evidenced by the image below of her with MMA pioneer Manny Yarborough when the now 28 year old was just 15.
So the singer, songwriter, and actress naturally responded on her social network.
Shave an MC into your chest and I am yours, tweeted Cyrus. Happy VDay and congrats my love!
https://twitter.com/MileyCyrus/status/1360885092130852868
And then … this.
https://twitter.com/JMarquezMMA/status/1361007085337542656
You had one job bro.
