Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano already defied the odds by ending their lengthy retirements and signing up for an MMA fight in 2026.
Now all they have to do is actually fight. Uh oh.
Few would argue that in Rousey’s prime, she was one of the most must-see combat sports athletes in the world. Even if you don’t think much of the UFC bantamweight competition she faced, it was thrilling to watch Rousey tear through championship challengers in seconds and push the women’s side of MMA to unforeseen heights.
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Those heights might not have been attainable were it not for the effort of those who came before Rousey, a list that includes Carano. Alongside Cris Cyborg, Carano drew massive numbers as one of the first two women ever to headline a major MMA event (Strikeforce never die!), a bout that drew almost 600,000 viewers. Carano was big business in 2009, and she parlayed that notoriety into a legitimate acting career.
But Carano, 44 in April, hasn’t fought since then. Rousey, 39, hasn’t fought since 2016. Rousey (or a savvy social media staffer) is going as far as to boldly proclaim that her duel with Carano will outshine the UFC-Paramount partnership, but realistically, what level of quality can we expect when these two step back into the cage?
MMA Fighting’s Alexander K. Lee and Jed Meshew debate whether it will actually be worth your while to tune in to Netflix on May 16 or if this will end up being a highly hyped event that is better left ignored.
Lee: In the 16-plus years since Gina Carano’s most recent fight, the UFC has gone from Spike TV to Fox to ESPN to Paramount, Strikeforce was bought out of existence, Ronda Rousey’s entire UFC and WWE career happened, Amanda Nunes established herself as the GOAT, and Cris Cyborg fought 23 more times.
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It’s 2026. And Rousey and Carano are still two of the five most recognizable names on the women’s side of MMA. That’s just a fact.
Try making a list of the most famous female fighters without them. Cyborg, maybe, but she has nowhere near the mainstream cachet of Rousey or Carano. That goes triple for Nunes. Holly Holm? Would make my list, but since her notoriety is inextricably tied to her knockout of Rousey, at the very least, they both chart. And then outside of those names, what are we thinking? Valentina Shevchenko? Zhang Weili? Miesha Tate? Paige VanZant???
Face it, Rousey and Carano remain shockingly relevant. So from a broader interest standpoint, this matchup can’t be beat. Heck, there are few matchups the UFC could make right now that would draw as many eyeballs as Rousey vs. Carano, and they’d all have to involve Conor McGregor. You think Joe Schmo Sportsfan would be jazzed for Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria? Please.
As far as the quality of the fight itself, we can certainly temper our expectations, but I’m embracing my inner sicko here and expecting to be genuinely entertained. Both women know how to sell a fight and there’s just the right mixture of mutual respect and professional rivalry to produce some memorable press conference moments. Hardcore fans are loath to admit it, but Most Valuable Promotions has a knack for pushing these novelty matchups, and there’s plenty to work with here.
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Once that cage door closes, it’s not exactly going to be Lawler vs. Condit, but Rousey and Carano have rarely failed to deliver action, whether they ended up as the hammer or the nail. I see two glass cannons (and yes, given Rousey’s admitted concussion history, I’m aware that is an F’d up thing to say) taking aim at each other, going for broke, and guaranteeing this fight doesn’t go past the second round. Whether that means Rousey suffering yet another brutal knockout loss or Carano tapping to a vintage Rousey armbar, either way, fans looking for a dramatic finish will get their money’s worth.
(By the way, if Rousey is knocked stiff by a head kick and stretchered out, I reserve the right to pretend I never supported any of this.)
Bring on the spectacle!
Meshew: The question of whether Rousey vs. Carano will be worth your while is entirely up to your perspective.
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Are you in the fight game to see the best athletes in the world compete at the peak of their powers? Well, this offers you nothing in that regard. Are you just here to see some people get jacked up? Then this won’t blow your socks off, but you’re going to have a good time. Or are you just a fan of grand spectacles and communal experiences? Because if so, this is your MMA Super Bowl.
You may not like what I’m about to say, but it’s true: Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano is going to be the biggest MMA fight of all time. When Katie Taylor fought Amanda Serrano for the third time, 6 million people turned on Netflix to watch that fight. Rousey and Carano are more famous than either of them, Rousey substantially so. Combat sports have always been a star-driven medium, and the return of Ronda Rousey to MMA, the only female fighter many people know, would be a big deal regardless. Instead, she’s fighting another very famous person on a platform that nearly everyone in the world has access to.
Now, is this even remotely as good or meaningful as Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor or any Jon Jones fight? Of course not. But more people are going to see these two women face off than have ever tuned in for any MMA fight before. That’s pretty significant. And based on its history, MVP is going to promote it as such. By the time May rolls around, this is going to be a major cultural moment, and honestly, I’m pretty interested in that.
As for the fight, I’m tepidly hopeful it will be fun. Neither of these women is the best in the world anymore (though, if we’re being honest, Ronda still might clear a half-dozen of the UFC’s top-15 bantamweights, considering Miesha Tate is still ranked No. 13!), but neither has ever been a boring fight either. Both women made their names off being exciting, so I expect this will be a little sloppy but a fun time, much like Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett.
So, if you’re interested in watching mid/low-level MMA that’s blown up into a massive spectacle and featuring extremely famous people, MVP’s first MMA event should be right up your alley.
