UFC Stars Brian Ortega, Mackenzie Dern Act As Security During Golden Globes Skit

Turns out maybe there is art in Mixed Martial Arts ... 'cause nearly 10 years after Meryl Streep famously called out the sport during the Golden Globes ... the UFC was front and center at the same show to hype up its Paramount deal!!

Brian Ortega and current women’s strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern made a brief appearance during Sunday night’s 83rd Golden Globes on CBS, which now owns the U.S. broadcast rights to the MMA organization for the next seven years.

A quick refresher on why this is quite notable -- while Streep was accepting an award at the 2017 show, she gave a speech calling out President Donald Trump. When making a comment about diversity in Hollywood, she said, “If we kick [outsiders and foreigners] out, you'll have nothing to watch but football and mixed martial arts -- which are not the arts."

Fast forward to Sunday night ... Ortega and Dern got the last laugh for the UFC -- cosplaying as security guards for "Heated Rivalry" stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, since they're the hottest thing in town at the moment.

Albeit brief, it shows how far the sport has come in nearly 10 years. Dana White -- who told us at the time Streep was an "uppity, 80-year-old lady" -- just last year signed a seven-year $7.7 billion deal with Paramount to make it the exclusive home of the UFC in the United States.

While we haven’t heard from White or Streep about the segment, we imagine Dana is getting the last laugh.

Beyond the segment ... Ortega and Dern were given the chance to walk the red carpet alongside some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Dern hit the red carpet in a strapless purple dress, and Ortega opted for an all-black suit, topped off with a bow tie.