Additional Coverage:
- MMA legends Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano to un-retire, square off in five-round fight this May (cbssports.com)
MMA Legends Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano Set for Blockbuster Comeback Bout in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA – In a stunning announcement that has sent ripples through the mixed martial arts world, two of women’s MMA’s most iconic figures, Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, are set to un-retire and face off in a highly anticipated showdown. The fight, promoted by Most Valuable Promotions, is scheduled for May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles and will be streamed live on Netflix.
Rousey, 39, and Carano, 43, will compete in a hexagon cage over five five-minute rounds. This bout marks a significant return for both athletes, who have been away from professional MMA for several years.
Rousey’s last professional MMA fight was in December 2016, a knockout loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207, her second consecutive defeat. She was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018. Carano’s last professional appearance was even further back, in August 2009, when she suffered her only career loss to Cris “Cyborg” Justino in a Strikeforce event.
Since stepping away from the cage, both fighters have transitioned into successful careers outside of MMA. Carano has made a name for herself in Hollywood, with notable roles in films such as Fast & Furious 6 and Deadpool. Rousey also explored acting and achieved considerable success in professional wrestling as a WWE superstar, holding two championship reigns before her departure in 2023.
Carano expressed her excitement about the upcoming fight in a press release, stating, “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. 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.”
Rousey recently revealed on a book tour that she had suffered concussions as a child, raising questions about her future in combat sports due to the potential long-term effects of head injuries.
Despite their careers never directly overlapping, Rousey and Carano were, for a time, the two most recognizable crossover stars in women’s combat sports. Now, after a decade for Rousey and 17 years for Carano away from professional fighting, they will finally meet in the cage. While some “ring rust” might be expected, the championship-length bout will give them ample opportunity to shake it off and recapture the electrifying performances that originally propelled them to stardom.