Ronda Rousey has announced that her upcoming clash with Gina Carano will mark the conclusion of her career in mixed martial arts. This significant revelation was made during a recent appearance on “The Ariel Helwani Podcast.” The highly anticipated fight is scheduled for May 16, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
This bout will headline the inaugural MMA event presented by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and will be streamed live on Netflix. The fighters will compete under unified MMA rules in a hexagon cage, with five five-minute rounds and the use of 4-ounce gloves. A press conference was held on March 10, 2026, in Inglewood, where Rousey and Carano faced off.
Ronda Rousey Discusses Retirement Plans Ahead of Gina Carano Comeback Bout
Rousey described the matchup with Carano as her “dream fight” and the ideal way to conclude her MMA journey. She shared with Helwani that she had promised her husband, Travis Browne, that this would be her final fight. She mentioned that she had to persuade him to support her involvement in post-fight promotional activities, as he is firmly against her continuing to fight.
Furthermore, Rousey expressed her desire to have more children and her plans to pursue writing graphic novels. She indicated that additional financial incentives would not change her decision, as her family already enjoys a comfortable level of freedom.
“I promised my husband up and down that this is the last one. He’s the one that I really got to convince to get on board for this promoter shit afterwards. He’s not 100% sold on it. He’s not going for the fighting at all after this. This is the dream fight. This is the absolute pinnacle… This is the perfect way to end it.”
This return comes almost a decade after Rousey’s last professional MMA fight, a first-round knockout loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 on December 30, 2016. Prior to that, she suffered a knockout loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193 in 2015. Rousey has previously cited concussions sustained from judo and MMA as significant factors in her decision to step away in 2016. She holds a professional MMA record of 12 wins and 2 losses, with nine victories by knockout.
Carano is returning to the octagon after a 17-year hiatus, her last fight being a knockout loss to Cris Cyborg in 2009. Her professional MMA record stands at 7 wins and 1 loss, with three knockouts. While betting odds currently favor Rousey due to her perceived grappling advantage, Carano is recognized as a significant striking threat.
Rousey made history in 2013 by becoming the UFC’s first female champion, successfully defending her bantamweight title six times before her consecutive losses. She transitioned to professional wrestling in 2018, headlining WrestleMania before departing WWE in 2023 to focus on her family. Rousey was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018.
The event is fast approaching, with Rousey being 39 years old and Carano being 44 years old at the time of the fight.
