They didn't just win fights, they changed what women's MMA could be
Two women who once remade the landscape of professional fighting are stepping back into the cage after absences measured not in months but in decades. Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano — pioneers who transformed women's MMA from a fringe curiosity into a mainstream phenomenon — will meet on May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, their bout streamed on Netflix under the banner of Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions. Their return is less a sporting event than a cultural reckoning: a question about what legacy means, what the body remembers, and whether the past can be revisited without diminishing it.
- A combined two decades of retirement ends with a single announcement — Rousey, 39, and Carano, 43, will fight each other on May 16, a matchup that would have seemed impossible just months ago.
- The long shadows of their absences loom over the bout: Rousey hasn't competed since 2016, and Carano's last professional fight was in 2009, raising urgent questions about ring rust and physical readiness.
- Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions is betting its first MMA venture on nostalgia and star power, pairing Netflix's global reach with two names that still command attention despite years away from the sport.
- Both fighters have navigated turbulent post-MMA lives — Rousey through acting and family, Carano through a high-profile Disney firing and subsequent lawsuit — adding layers of personal narrative to an already charged matchup.
- The fight is framed by both women as a tribute to the sport they built together, yet the arena and the algorithm will ultimately decide whether it lands as celebration or cautionary tale.
Two of the most transformative figures in mixed martial arts history are ending their retirements to face each other. Ronda Rousey, 39, and Gina Carano, 43, will meet on May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, in a bout streaming on Netflix — closing a combined gap of nearly two decades away from professional competition.
Their absence from the sport has done little to diminish their names. Carano fought in the first Nevada-sanctioned women's MMA bout in 2006, helping establish the sport's legitimacy at a moment when it was still struggling for mainstream acceptance. Rousey, an Olympic judo medalist, became the face of women's fighting after the UFC built an entire division around her — winning the promotion's first women's bout in 2013, claiming the bantamweight title, and defending it six times while finishing eleven of her first twelve fights in the opening round.
The comeback is being staged by Most Valuable Promotions, the company founded by Jake Paul and business partner Nakisa Bidarian, marking the promotion's first MMA event after four years in boxing. The bout will be contested at 145 pounds over five five-minute rounds.
Both fighters have lived full lives since their final bouts. Rousey stepped away after consecutive losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, moving into acting, professional wrestling, and family life. Carano pursued film and television after her 2009 loss to Cris Justino, eventually joining the cast of Disney's "The Mandalorian" before being let go in 2021 following controversial social media posts — a dispute she later settled in court.
Rousey framed the fight as a historic moment for women's combat sports. Carano, who said the idea originated with Rousey, acknowledged the debt she felt to her opponent for the doors women's MMA had opened — while expressing quiet confidence in her own chances. The real answer to how much time has taken from each of them will arrive in May, in front of a Los Angeles crowd, on a platform built for global audiences.
Two of the most consequential figures in mixed martial arts history are coming out of retirement to fight each other. Ronda Rousey, 39, and Gina Carano, 43, will meet on May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, in a bout that will stream on Netflix. The announcement came Tuesday, and it marks the end of a combined two decades away from professional fighting.
Rousey last stepped into the cage in 2016. Carano's MMA career ended in 2009—seventeen years ago. Yet their names still carry weight in combat sports because of what they accomplished when they were active: they didn't just win fights, they fundamentally changed what women's MMA could be. Carano fought in the first Nevada-sanctioned women's MMA bout in 2006, when the sport was still fighting for legitimacy on television. Rousey, an Olympic judo medalist, became the face of women's fighting after Dana White and the UFC built an entire division around her. She won the promotion's first-ever women's bout in 2013, claimed the bantamweight title, and defended it six times—a record that still stands. She finished eleven of her first twelve fights in the first round.
The comeback fight will be promoted by Most Valuable Promotions, the company founded by boxer-turned-influencer Jake Paul and his business partner Nakisa Bidarian. This marks the promotion's first venture into MMA after four years of staging boxing events. The bout will be contested at 145 pounds over five five-minute rounds.
Rousey's fighting career ended abruptly after back-to-back losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. She pivoted to acting, professional wrestling, and raising a family. Carano's path diverged differently. After her final fight in 2009—a loss to Cris Justino—she pursued film and television roles, landing parts in prominent productions and joining the cast of Disney's "The Mandalorian." That role ended in 2021 after she posted controversial right-wing commentary on social media. She later settled a lawsuit against Lucasfilm and Disney over her termination.
In her announcement, Rousey framed the fight as a historic moment for women's combat sports. "This is for all MMA fans past, present and future," she said. Carano's statement suggested the fight had been Rousey's idea—that Rousey had approached her saying this was the only comeback fight she wanted. Carano acknowledged the debt she felt she owed Rousey for the doors that had opened in women's MMA, and she expressed confidence in her chances despite the long layoff. "I anticipate it will not come easy, which I welcome," she said.
Both fighters remain iconic figures in a sport they helped legitimize, yet their return raises a fundamental question: how much rust accumulates in seventeen and ten years away from professional combat? The answer will come in May, on Netflix, in front of a crowd at one of Los Angeles's newest arenas.
Notable Quotes
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
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does this fight matter now, when both of them have been gone so long?
Because they didn't just fight—they changed what was possible for women in the sport. Carano proved women could draw television audiences. Rousey made the UFC believe women's MMA was worth building around. That's not something you forget.
But ten and seventeen years is a long time. Are they actually competitive, or is this nostalgia?
That's the real question nobody can answer yet. They're not the same fighters. But they're fighting each other, not younger champions. The playing field is level in that way.
Why Netflix? Why Jake Paul's company?
Netflix wants combat sports content. Paul's promotion has been successful with boxing. This is their first MMA event, and they're betting that two legendary names returning will draw viewers. It's a business play dressed up as a historic moment.
Do you think Carano actually believes she'll win?
She said it in her statement. Whether that's genuine confidence or the kind of thing you have to say publicly—I don't know. But she's not coming back to lose.
What happens to women's MMA if this fight is a disappointment?
It doesn't change the sport's trajectory. Women's MMA is established now. This is an event, not a referendum. But it does matter symbolically—it says these two women still matter, that their names still carry weight.