Ronda Rousey (left) and Gina Carano are two key pioneers in women’s MMA [Getty Images]<\/p>\n
UFC legend Ronda Rousey will fight Gina Carano in May – a decade after she retired from MMA.<\/p>\n
The bout between the two icons will be staged at the 18,000-seat Intuit Dome in California and will be the first MMA fight to be streamed live on Netflix.<\/p>\n
Rousey, 39, is considered the biggest female MMA star of all time and was the first woman to sign with the UFC and win a UFC belt.<\/p>\n
“Been waiting so long to announce this: me and Gina Carano are going to throw down in the biggest super-fight in women’s combat sport history,” Rousey said.<\/p>\n
The bout on 16 May will be over five rounds at 145lb (10st 5lb).<\/p>\n
Rousey is a decorated all-round athlete, having also won an Olympic gold medal in judo and competed in the WWE after retiring from MMA at the age of 29.<\/p>\n
After a five-year unbeaten streak, Rousey lost her UFC bantamweight title to Holly Holm<\/a> in a shock defeat and when she was beaten by Amanda Nunes in her comeback the following year, she retired from MMA.<\/p>\n ‘More than a fighter’ – how Rousey finally found peace<\/a><\/p>\n In 2025, Rousey admitted severe concussion problems<\/a> led to her retirement from MMA.<\/p>\n For long-time MMA fans, Rousey v Carano is the super-fight that never happened, with the latter retiring a few years before her fellow American made her professional debut.<\/p>\n The UFC tried to make the match-up when Rousey was at the height of her powers, but were unable to reach terms.<\/p>\n Rousey has a 12-2 record while 43-year-old Carano is 7-1, with her only loss against Cris Cyborg in her last bout in 2009.<\/p>\n Carano, who became an actor after retiring, said Rousey approached her about the fight.<\/p>\n “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,” said Carano.<\/p>\n “She thanked me for opening up doors for her in her career and was respectful in asking for this fight to happen.<\/p>\n “This is an honour. I believe I will walk out of this fight with the win and I anticipate it will not come easy, which I welcome.<\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n Carano recently settled a lawsuit with Disney<\/a> after she was dismissed in 2021 from her role in Star Wars franchise spin-off The Mandalorian following comments she made comparing being a Republican in the US to being a Jew during the Holocaust.<\/p>\n Jake Paul’s promotional outfit, Most Valuable Promotions, will organise the event in its first foray into MMA.<\/p>\n “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,” said Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in a joint statement.<\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n The fight is certainly past its sell-by date and it is hard to imagine what the quality of the contest will look like considering both women are very far removed from their last competitive fight.<\/p>\n But once upon a time it was a bout every MMA fan wanted to see. Rousey utterly transformed MMA, but fighters like Carano laid the foundation for her.<\/p>\n Rousey’s star quality is still off the charts and she is still one of the biggest MMA fighters out there despite being retired since 2016.<\/p>\n It cannot be overstated how big a star she was in the UFC at her height. Only Jon Jones or Conor McGregor could overshadow her.<\/p>\n She has a hallowed place in the UFC and her WWE run and the fanfare around the release of her autobiography in 2024 show she still has a massive profile.<\/p>\n Netflix’s strategy for fights is quite simple – use the profile of combat sports’ biggest stars to produce one-off, massive events. Jake Paul kicked off that strategy against Mike Tyson. Then came Terence Crawford, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.<\/p>\n There will be questions about Rousey’s health. Her concussion problems formed a key part of her autobiography. But this isn’t Paul v Tyson or Paul v Joshua. <\/p>\n There is no concerning age gap or disturbing quality discrepancy and both women will undergo strict pre-fight medical tests.<\/p>\n Katie Taylor v Amanda Serrano reached about six million viewers on Netflix. That will be the benchmark for Rousey v Carano.<\/p>\n This will undoubtedly be advertised as a fantasy fight finally delivered. <\/p>\n The likelihood of a devastating knockout for either woman seems unlikely. It should be as advertised – for one-night only, two legends collide.<\/p>\n MMA schedule and results 2026<\/a>Watch every Born to Brawl episode<\/a><\/p>\n Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport<\/a><\/p>\nRousey fits Netflix’s superstar approach to sport<\/h2>\n
\n More MMA from the BBC
\n <\/h2>\n