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Gina Carano Returns in Epic MMA Showdown After 17 Years
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Two legends of women’s mixed martial arts are ending their combined 27-year retirement to finally settle the score in a historic super fight that will stream live on Netflix.
The wait is finally over for MMA fans who have spent nearly two decades dreaming about this matchup. Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano will step into the hexagon cage on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, in what’s being billed as the biggest women’s combat sports event in history .
The Fight Everyone Thought Would Never Happen
For longtime MMA followers, Rousey vs. Carano represents the super fight that always seemed just out of reach. Carano was already retired by the time Rousey burst onto the scene and became the face of women’s MMA. The UFC tried multiple times to make this fight happen during Rousey’s dominant run, but they could never come to terms .
Now, thanks to Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix, the dream matchup is finally becoming reality.
“Been waiting so long to announce this: Me and Gina Carano are gonna throw down in the biggest super fight in women’s combat sport history!” Rousey said in a statement. “And we’re partnering with the fighter-first promotion MVP as well as the biggest and baddest streamer on the planet Netflix. This is for all MMA fans past, present and future. More to come… much more” .
The fight will be contested at 145 pounds (featherweight) over five 5-minute rounds using 4-ounce gloves, professionally sanctioned under the Unified Rules of MMA inside a hexagon cage .
Gina Carano: The Pioneer Who Opened Doors
Before Ronda Rousey became a household name, there was Gina Carano. The 43-year-old fighter is widely recognized as the woman who first brought mainstream attention to women’s MMA during her run from 2006 to 2009 .
Carano amassed a 7-1 record, with her only loss coming against Cris Cyborg in 2009 for the inaugural Strikeforce women’s 145-pound title. That fight marked Carano’s last appearance in MMA before she transitioned to Hollywood, where she starred in films like “Haywire,” “Fast & Furious 6,” “Deadpool,” and the hit TV series “The Mandalorian” .
Her journey back to the cage comes after a turbulent few years that saw her fired from “The Mandalorian” in 2021 following controversial social media posts. Carano later filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Disney with backing from Elon Musk, which was settled in August 2025 .
But for Carano, this fight is about something bigger than Hollywood drama.
“Ronda came to me and said there is only one person she would make a comeback for and it has been her dream to make this fight happen between us,” Carano shared. “She thanked me for opening up doors for her in her career and was respectful in asking for this fight to happen. This is an honor. I believe I will walk out of this fight with the win, and I anticipate it will not come easy, which I welcome. This is as much for Ronda and me as it is for the fans and mixed martial arts community. What a time to be alive” .
Ronda Rousey: The Baddest Woman on the Planet Returns
At 39 years old, Ronda Rousey needs no introduction. The first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo (bronze in 2008) became the first woman signed to the UFC and its inaugural bantamweight champion . She took the sports world by storm with her devastating armbar finishes, with 11 of her first 12 fights ending in the first round. Three consecutive opponents were defeated in under a minute during her prime .
Rousey still holds the UFC record for successfully defending the women’s bantamweight title six consecutive times. She became the biggest star in combat sports, male or female, selling out arenas and generating millions in pay-per-view buys .
Her career took a turn in 2015 when Holly Holm shocked the world with a stunning knockout victory. Another knockout loss to Amanda Nunes in 2016 marked Rousey’s last MMA appearance. She later revealed that severe concussion problems contributed to her retirement .
Since then, Rousey found success in WWE from 2018 to 2022, becoming a three-time world champion. She’s also a New York Times bestselling author, appeared in “The Fast & the Furious” and “The Expendables” franchises, and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018 .
“This fight has been 9 months in the making since I was 9 months pregnant,” Rousey revealed in a text. “This last year has been the most healing and incredible journey and I’m thrilled to be able to invite the world to come along” .
Rousey and her husband, former UFC heavyweight Travis Browne, have two daughters—a 4-year-old and another born in January 2025 .
Netflix and MVP Make History
This event marks Netflix’s first live MMA broadcast and Most Valuable Promotions’ inaugural MMA event after tremendous success in boxing. Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian are bringing their promotional muscle to the sport where Rousey once reigned supreme .
“Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are the two most formative figures in the history of women’s MMA; they are the icons who shattered the glass ceiling and helped build the foundation this sport stands on,” Paul and Bidarian said in a joint statement. “MVP’s conviction in women’s boxing was driven by the success achieved by Ronda Rousey, who was the biggest star of the entire sport of MMA during her career. Following the unprecedented success of our boxing partnership, we are proving that MVP and Netflix can create blockbuster live events in multiple sports that engage fans across generations. This is what we do” .
Gabe Spitzer, Netflix VP of Sports, added: “After the record-breaking success in boxing, we wanted our first MMA event to be truly legendary. We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with MVP and bring together Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano to deliver the kind of high-stakes, icon-driven competition that our members crave. These are more than just athletes—they are generational stars—and having them headline our MMA debut at the Intuit Dome is a defining moment for us” .
What’s at Stake
Both women are stepping away from comfortable lives outside the cage. Rousey has built a successful post-fighting career in entertainment and publishing. Carano has established herself in Hollywood. But the competitive fire never truly dies for fighters of their caliber.
For Rousey, this fight represents a chance to rewrite the final chapter of her MMA story—one that ended with back-to-back knockout losses. For Carano, it’s an opportunity to remind the world why she was the original face of women’s MMA and to finally test herself against the woman who followed in her footsteps .
The bout also carries symbolic weight for women’s sports. These two pioneers built the foundation that allowed fighters like Amanda Nunes, Cris Cyborg, and today’s generation of female athletes to thrive.
Fight Details at a Glance
- Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026
- Location: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California
- Weight Class: 145 pounds (featherweight)
- Rounds: Five 5-minute rounds
- Gloves: 4-ounce
- Broadcast: Live exclusively on Netflix
- Promotion: Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)
A kickoff news conference is scheduled for March 5 at Intuit Dome, where fans can get their first look at the two legends facing off ahead of fight night. Tickets go on sale March 5 at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster.com, with presale registration available at RouseyCarano.com .
More MMA fights will be added to the card and announced at a later date.
The Bottom Line
This isn’t just another comeback fight. This is a collision of two eras, two pioneers, and two women who changed combat sports forever. Whether you’re a longtime MMA fan who remembers watching Carano pave the way or someone who discovered the sport during Rousey’s reign of destruction, May 16 is a date you won’t want to miss.
As Carano put it so perfectly: “What a time to be alive.”