Ronda Rousey says Marine Corps Ball date was a ‘real sweetheart’

Ronda Rousey visits 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' on October 6, 2015 in New York City. (2014 NBCUniversal Media, LLC)

Ronda Rousey is a woman of her word.

The UFC champ honored her promise to Marine Cpl. James Haschert after she accepted his Facebook invite to the annual Marine Corps Ball two months ago.

Rousey flew down to South Carolina on Friday for the ball — marking her first appearance since her defeat to Holly Holm last month.

Surrounded by reporters outside the Los Angeles airport, Rousey admitted that she would probably be on her couch “crying and eating ice cream” had she not accepted the invitation.

“To get out of the house is probably a good thing," Rousey told TMZ. "I promised I would go. It's an honor to be asked."

In South Carolina, the 28-year-old fighter wore a black gown and was all smiles as she took photos with Haschert and other fans.

“Thank you Lance Cpl. Jarrod Haschert for taking me to the Marine Corps Ball, being such a gentleman, and putting a smile on my face again,” Rousey wrote in an Instagram photo caption of the two of them.

Upon her return to Los Angeles over the weekend, Rousey told TMZ that Haschert was “a real gentleman and a real sweetheart.”

“It was the only smiling I’ve been doing, I think,” she said, adding that the only this she didn’t do that night was dance. “I don’t dance in public.”

Rousey accepted Haschert’s invite in early September after his Facebook video amassed more than 5.4 million views.

“You are my celebrity crush,” Haschert proclaimed in the 34-second long video he posted in August. “I love everything you do, and I think you are a phenomenal person, which is why it would be my honor to take you to the Marine Corps Ball.”

Initially, Rousey was going to be unable to attend because her fight against Holm was originally scheduled for January. However, the fight was moved to November, paving the way for the date.

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