Ronda Rousey Criticizes UFC's White House Card, Praises Netflix MMA Debut with Francis Ngannou

Former UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey has re-entered the mixed martial arts spotlight, using her return to directly challenge her former promotion, the UFC. She is actively promoting Netflix's inaugural live MMA card, which will feature her own highly anticipated bout, while openly dismissing the UFC's upcoming White House event as a weak offering by comparison.

On social media, Rousey reacted to the announcement that Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins had been added to the May 16 Netflix event. She stated that Ngannou vs. Lins "joins #RouseyVsCarano on @Netflix May 16th" and called it a "bamf laden double headliner." She attributed this strong lineup to "putting fighters and fans ahead of shareholders," tagging Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), and bluntly concluded with: "@ufc’s White House card sucks." This message quickly gained traction across MMA media as a direct jab at her former employer and its scheduled June showcase in Washington, D.C.

The Netflix event itself is shaping up to be one of the year’s standout attractions. Rousey, 39, is returning from a long hiatus to face fellow pioneer Gina Carano, 43, in a featherweight bout that will headline MVP’s first MMA show and the first mixed martial arts card to stream live on Netflix. The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 16, at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, and will be available globally to subscribers at no extra charge, marking Netflix’s formal entry into live MMA after previous combat sports projects. Rousey has already shared training footage and updates, building interest in a fight that has been a fantasy matchup discussion for over a decade.

Adding significantly to the card’s appeal is Ngannou’s return to MMA. MVP and Netflix confirmed that the former UFC heavyweight champion will face Brazil’s Philipe Lins in a five-round heavyweight bout under unified rules, joining Rousey vs. Carano as a key attraction on the same bill. Ngannou, holding an 18–3 MMA record with 13 knockouts, steps back into the cage after a stint in boxing and a 2024 PFL championship victory, while Lins, 18–5, is a former PFL tournament winner.

Netflix executives have presented the lineup as a milestone moment, with the platform’s VP of Sports describing Rousey, Carano, and Ngannou as "generational icons" headlining the service’s first MMA broadcast.

Rousey’s criticism of the UFC is directly linked to this contrast in event presentation. The UFC’s "Freedom 250" event, scheduled for June 14 at the White House to coincide with President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, is set to feature Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title and Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane for an interim heavyweight belt. While featuring two championship fights on paper, the card has drawn criticism from some fans and fighters after an extended buildup that fueled hopes of appearances by bigger names like Conor McGregor and Jon Jones, neither of whom made the final announcement.

Rousey has previously stated that she attempted to return to MMA with the UFC but could not reach terms with Dana White. Her current decision to publicly promote MVP’s Netflix show highlights a strained relationship with her former promotion.