She thanked me for opening doors in her career
Two women who helped build the foundation of modern mixed martial arts are returning to competition after a combined absence of nearly three decades. Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano — pioneers who transformed women's MMA from a fringe curiosity into a mainstream sport — will meet on May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, in a bout promoted by Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions and broadcast on Netflix. Their fight is less a sporting event than a reckoning with legacy: a chance for two trailblazers to close a circle that history left open.
- Rousey hasn't competed since 2016 and Carano since 2009, making this one of the longest combined comeback gaps in combat sports history.
- The matchup carries the weight of unfinished business — Rousey reportedly told Carano she was the only fighter worth returning for, framing the bout as a personal tribute as much as a competition.
- Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions is making its first foray into MMA after four years in boxing, raising the stakes of the event as a test of the promotion's ambitions beyond the ring.
- Skeptics will question whether two fighters in their late thirties and early forties, long removed from elite competition, can deliver a performance worthy of the symbolic occasion.
- The fight lands on Netflix before a global audience, positioning it as both a nostalgia event and a potential gateway for new fans discovering the women who made the sport possible.
Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano announced Tuesday that they will fight each other on May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The bout, promoted by Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions and airing on Netflix, will be contested at 145 pounds over five five-minute rounds. Rousey is 39 and hasn't competed since 2016; Carano is 43 and last fought in 2009 — a combined absence that spans the entire modern era of women's MMA.
Carano's contribution to the sport came first. In 2006, she competed in the first Nevada-sanctioned women's MMA bout, helping legitimize the sport on television at a time when women's combat sports were still treated as a novelty. Rousey arrived next, carrying an Olympic judo medal and a finishing instinct that captivated audiences. Her charisma and devastating armbar technique convinced UFC president Dana White to build an entire women's division around her. She won the promotion's first women's bout in 2013, defended the bantamweight title six times, and ended eleven of her first twelve fights in the opening round — a record of dominance that still stands. Back-to-back losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes in 2015 and 2016 ended her reign, and she stepped away toward acting, professional wrestling, and family life.
Carano's post-fighting path led to film and a prominent role on Disney's "The Mandalorian," before her contract was terminated in 2021 following controversial social media posts. She sued Lucasfilm and Disney over her firing and settled the case last year.
In announcing the fight, Rousey described it as a moment of gratitude and shared history, saying Carano was the only fighter she would come back for. Carano echoed the sentiment, noting that Rousey had thanked her for opening doors — while also making clear she intends to win. For Most Valuable Promotions, the event marks its first venture into MMA after four years in boxing, a signal of Jake Paul's expanding ambitions in combat sports. Whether two aging pioneers can draw the audience he is counting on remains uncertain, but the symbolic gravity of their reunion is difficult to dismiss.
Two of mixed martial arts' most transformative figures are stepping back into the cage after a combined half-century away from competition. Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano announced Tuesday that they will fight each other on May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, in what amounts to a reunion of the sport's pioneering women. The bout will be promoted by Most Valuable Promotions, the combat sports company founded by boxer-turned-influencer Jake Paul and his business partner Nakisa Bidarian, and will air on Netflix.
Rousey, now 39, has not competed since 2016. Carano, 43, last fought in 2009—a span so long that it encompasses the entire modern era of women's MMA as a mainstream sport. They will meet at 145 pounds over five five-minute rounds, a distance that underscores just how much time has elapsed since either woman last laced up gloves. Yet their names remain synonymous with the sport's transformation from a fringe spectacle into a legitimate athletic enterprise.
Carano's contribution came first. In 2006, she fought in the first Nevada-sanctioned women's MMA bout, a milestone that opened the door for the sport to be taken seriously on television. She became a network draw in those early years, her fights commanding attention when women's combat sports were still treated as a novelty. That work—that willingness to step into the cage when the infrastructure barely existed—created the conditions for what came next.
Rousey arrived with an Olympic medal in judo from 2008 and a singular gift for finishing fights. Her record of 12 wins and 2 losses speaks to her dominance, but the real measure of her impact lies in what she prompted Dana White to do. Rousey's charisma and her devastating armbar finishes convinced the UFC president to build an entire women's division around her. She won the promotion's first-ever women's bout in 2013 to claim the bantamweight title, then defended it six times—a record that still stands. She ended eleven of her first twelve fights in the opening round. Then, abruptly, the streak broke. Back-to-back losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes in 2015 and 2016 ended her reign and prompted her to pivot toward acting, professional wrestling, and family life.
Carano's post-fighting career took a different trajectory. She landed film roles and became a cast member on Disney's "The Mandalorian," only to have her contract terminated in 2021 after she posted controversial right-wing statements on social media. She sued Lucasfilm and Disney over her firing and settled the case last year.
In announcing the fight, Rousey framed it as a moment of gratitude and shared history. "Been waiting so long to announce this," she said. "This is for all MMA fans past, present and future." Carano's statement carried a similar weight of respect. She said Rousey had approached her directly, explaining that Carano was the only fighter she would return for, and that making this fight happen had been a long-held dream. "She thanked me for opening up doors for her in her career," Carano said, adding that she believed she would win but welcomed the difficulty of the challenge.
The fight represents a significant moment for Most Valuable Promotions, which has spent four years promoting boxing events. This is the company's first venture into MMA, a move that signals Jake Paul's ambitions to expand his combat sports footprint beyond the boxing ring. Whether the comeback of two aging pioneers can draw the audience Paul is banking on remains to be seen, but the symbolic weight of the matchup—two women who fundamentally changed what was possible in their sport, meeting one final time—carries its own gravitational pull.
Citas Notables
This is for all MMA fans past, present and future.— Ronda Rousey
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.— Gina Carano
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does this fight matter now, in 2026? Both fighters are in their forties and haven't competed in years.
Because they didn't just fight—they built the sport. Carano made it possible for women to fight on television at all. Rousey made the UFC care about women's divisions. This isn't nostalgia. It's a conversation between two people who changed the rules.
But isn't there a risk they look diminished? That the comeback undermines their legacy?
Maybe. But they're not fighting for records anymore. Rousey said it herself—this is for the fans and the community. There's something honest about two pioneers meeting again when they're both at the same place in their lives.
What does Jake Paul's involvement say about where combat sports are headed?
It says celebrity money is now the engine. Paul's been boxing for years. Now he's moving into MMA. If this works, expect more of it—influencers and celebrities bankrolling fights that traditional promoters might not touch.
Carano had that whole controversy with Disney. Does that complicate things?
It's part of her story now. She settled her lawsuit. She's been out of the public eye. This fight is a kind of return—not just to MMA, but to relevance on her own terms.
What happens if one of them gets seriously hurt?
That's the real question nobody's asking yet. These are 39 and 43-year-old women who haven't trained competitively in years. The risk is real. But they're consenting adults who know what they're doing.