One of the UFC's knockout artists says he's confident Miley Cyrus will date him because his beard is so beautiful

• Julian Marquez won a UFC fight and then asked Miley Cyrus to be his valentine.
• A reporter then asked Marquez why he was so interested in Cyrus.
• He gave a list of reasons and said he was confident she would return the love.

One of the UFC's knockout artists, Julian Marquez, is confident Miley Cyrus will accept his request for a date because, he says, of his "beautiful beard."

"Do you not see this beautiful beard?" Marquez said at a press conference Saturday after having already asked Cyrus on a date from the Octagon.

The 30-year-old fighter competed for the first time in 30 months at UFC 258 and won in style, as he submitted Maki Pitolo in a wild middleweight match at the behind-closed-doors event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

But rather than use his victory speech to issue a challenge to a prospective rival in the 185-pound division, Marquez professed his love for Cyrus and asked whether the American singer would be his valentine.

When he spoke with reporters at a media event, he was asked why he's so interested in Cyrus.

"The real question is what's not to be interested in her," Marquez said.

"Think about it, I'm 30 years old. I grew up watching 'Hannah Montana,' 'Party in the USA,' we're sitting here loving it."

Marquez said he'd used her songs to make his walk from the locker room to the Octagon to get him in a winning mindset.

"I've been to her concert many times, she came out with 'Wrecking Ball' - I made a big come-up after that song. I actually walked out to that," he said.

"Every time I walk out to Miley, she does something to me to figure out a way to win. And she's just my love," he added. "I love that woman."

A reporter then asked Marquez how confident he was that Cyrus felt the same way.

"One-hundred percent," he said without hesitation. "Have you seen me? Do you not see this beautiful beard? And this gorgeous smile? And these pretty eyes? She's about to make a song about me - let's go."

The potential sport and celebrity power couple have already exchanged public messages on Twitter.

—Julian marquez (@JMarquezMMA) February 14, 2021

Learning quickly about Marquez's unconventional method of asking for a Valentine's Day date, Cyrus said: "Shave an MC into your chest hair and I am yours.

"Happy VDay and Congrats my love!"

Hours later, Marquez responded: "If you get a henna tattoo that says 'Cuban Missle Crisis' above your belly button like 2pac I'm in."