Ronda Rousey is poised to achieve a significant financial milestone with her first MMA fight in a decade. The former UFC bantamweight champion is confident that her highly anticipated return bout against Gina Carano will shatter the existing pay record for female athletes in combat sports, aiming to exceed the $5 million earned by Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor for their boxing trilogy last year. Rousey’s previous UFC earnings stood at $3 million before her 2016 loss to Amanda Nunes. The fight is scheduled for Saturday, May 16th, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and will be streamed live on Netflix.
Rousey is headlining the inaugural event for Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), a Netflix-backed venture aiming to offer a competitive alternative to the UFC. This wasn’t Rousey’s first attempt at a comeback; she had previously approached UFC president Dana White about orchestrating her return, but negotiations ultimately failed. Reflecting on the discussions, Rousey recounted a meeting with UFC leadership shortly after giving birth, suggesting they did not take her seriously. “I think they’re regretting not making it happen now,” Rousey stated during the final press conference.
Ronda Rousey Aims for Historic Earnings in Gina Carano Comeback, Criticizes UFC Negotiations
“Mine is making history, making a cultural impact and influencing the future of the sport. I’ve already won a record eight consecutive title fights, there’s nothing left for me to do in UFC. So now me and Gina are smashing the record for the most women have been paid in combat sports.”
Following her knockout loss to Nunes, Rousey stepped away from MMA, transitioning to careers in WWE and acting. Her opponent, Carano, also has a considerable layoff period. Carano, 44, was a pioneering figure in women’s MMA, headlining a major promotion in 2009 before stepping back from the sport. She subsequently pursued acting, notably appearing in “The Mandalorian” before her dismissal in 2021. Carano has been open about her struggles with mental health and weight gain during her time away, crediting Rousey with providing the motivation for her return. “I’ve worked so hard. Having Ronda as the goal got me out of bed every morning,” Carano shared.
The undercard for this event features significant names that would typically command considerable attention during fight week, including former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou facing Philipe Lins, and fan favorite Nate Diaz squaring off against Mike Perry. However, the spotlight remained firmly fixed on Rousey and Carano throughout the media events. Rousey drew more media inquiries than any other fighter on the 22-person roster, speaking both as an athlete and as a prominent figure for MVP.
Rousey firmly believes that the collaboration between Netflix and MVP signifies a transformative shift in the MMA landscape. “Who can say the success of this fight won’t give the competition the UFC needs and give bargaining power back to the fighters?” she posited at the press conference. She predicted that the event could potentially become the most-watched MMA broadcast in history, a title currently held by various major UFC events. Organizers have explicitly set their sights on breaking this record.
The dynamic between Rousey and Carano stands apart from the typical animosity often seen in combat sports rivalries. Instead of engaging in confrontational rhetoric, Rousey expressed admiration for her opponent, acknowledging Carano’s influence during her own early years in fighting. Rousey even stated that if Carano were to achieve an upset victory, she would be genuinely delighted to be part of what she described as “the greatest comeback story of all time.”
English Translation:
Ronda Rousey is ready to capitalize on her first MMA fight in a decade. The former UFC bantamweight champion believes her comeback bout against Gina Carano this weekend will shatter the pay record for female combat sports athletes, surpassing the $5 million earned by Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor for their boxing trilogy last year. Rousey’s last UFC purse was $3 million before her 2016 loss to Amanda Nunes. The fight is set to take place on Saturday, May 16th, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and will stream live on Netflix.
Rousey is headlining the debut card for Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), a Netflix-backed venture positioning itself as direct competition to the UFC. This wasn’t her initial preference. Rousey had approached UFC president Dana White about orchestrating her return, but negotiations fell through. She recalled a meeting with UFC leadership while lactating after childbirth, claiming they did not take her seriously. “I think they’re regretting not making it happen now,” Rousey stated at the final press conference.
Ronda Rousey Eyes Historic Payday in Gina Carano Return, Takes Swipe at UFC Over Comeback Terms
“Mine is making history, making a cultural impact and influencing the future of the sport. I’ve already won a record eight consecutive title fights, there’s nothing left for me to do in UFC. So now me and Gina are smashing the record for the most women have been paid in combat sports.”
Rousey departed from MMA after her knockout loss to Nunes, later transitioning to WWE and acting roles. Her opponent, Carano, also has a significant layoff period. The 44-year-old was one of the first women to headline a major MMA promotion in 2009 but stepped back early in her career. Carano subsequently moved into acting, working on “The Mandalorian” until her dismissal in 2021. She has spoken openly about her struggles with mental health and weight gain during that period, crediting Rousey with motivating her return. “I’ve worked so hard. Having Ronda as the goal got me out of bed every morning,” Carano said.
The card itself features heavyweight names that would typically dominate fight week discussions. Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, faces Philipe Lins, and fan favorite Nate Diaz takes on Mike Perry. Despite this, the spotlight remained firmly fixed on Rousey and Carano throughout media day. Rousey fielded more questions than any other fighter on the 22-person lineup, speaking both as an athlete and as MVP’s promotional figurehead.
Rousey remains confident that the partnership with Netflix and MVP signals a shift in MMA’s power structure. “Who can say the success of this fight won’t give the competition the UFC needs and give bargaining power back to the fighters?” she stated at the press conference. She predicted the event could become the most-watched MMA broadcast in history, a title currently held by various blockbuster UFC events over the years. Organizers are explicitly targeting this record.
The relationship between Rousey and Carano stands apart from typical combat sports rivalries. Rather than engaging in trash talk, Rousey praised her opponent, acknowledging Carano’s inspiration during her own early fighting years. If Carano pulls off the upset, Rousey said she’d be genuinely happy to be part of what she called “the greatest comeback story of all time.”
