Ronda Rousey has announced that her highly anticipated fight against Gina Carano will mark the conclusion of her mixed martial arts career. This significant revelation was made during a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani podcast.
The bout, scheduled for May 16, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, will headline the inaugural MMA event promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and will be streamed live on Netflix. The fight will adhere to unified MMA rules, featuring five five-minute rounds with 4-ounce gloves in a hexagon cage.
During a press conference held on March 10, 2026, in Inglewood, both Rousey and Carano engaged in a face-off. The event’s undercard is set to include other notable matchups, such as Junior dos Santos vs. Robelis Despaigne and Francis Ngannou.
Rousey Opens Up About Retirement Plans Before Carano 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, a promise he wholeheartedly supports, especially given his reservations about further fighting. Rousey also expressed her desire to have more children and pursue her passion for writing graphic novels, stating that financial incentives would not change her decision as her family already enjoys financial security.
“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 comeback marks Rousey’s return to the octagon nearly a decade after her last MMA appearance, a first-round knockout loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 on December 30, 2016. Prior to that, she suffered a knockout defeat to Holly Holm at UFC 193 in 2015. Rousey has previously cited concussions sustained from her judo and MMA careers as major factors in her decision to step away in 2016. She boasts a professional MMA record of 12 wins and 2 losses, with nine of her victories coming by knockout.
Gina Carano will be making her return after a 17-year hiatus, her last fight being a knockout loss to Cris Cyborg in 2009. Carano’s MMA record stands at 7 wins and 1 loss, with three knockouts. While betting odds currently favor Rousey due to her grappling prowess, Carano is recognized as a significant striking threat.
Rousey made history as the UFC’s inaugural women’s champion in 2013, successfully defending her bantamweight title six times before her consecutive losses. She transitioned to WWE in 2018, where she headlined WrestleMania, before departing in 2023 to focus on her family. Rousey was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018.
The highly anticipated event is set to take place soon, with Rousey aged 39 and Carano aged 44.
