Ronda Rousey to make MMA return against Gina Carano on Netflix

Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey is set to return to mixed martial arts after nearly a decade away to face Gina Carano in a Netflix-streamed event on 16 May.

The bout will take place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and marks the first professional MMA card promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP).

It will be contested at 145lb over five rounds and streamed live on the subscription service.

A clash of pioneers

Rousey described the matchup as the “biggest super fight in women’s combat sport history” in a statement confirming the news.

“Been waiting so long to announce this: Me and Gina Carano are gonna throw down… This is for all MMA fans past, present and future.”

Ronda Rousey

The 39-year-old has not competed in the cage since losing to Amanda Nunes in December 2016.

Organisers confirmed the fight will be professionally sanctioned under the Unified Rules of MMA and will take place inside a hexagonal cage.

From UFC dominance to WWE stardom

Rousey, an Olympic judo bronze medallist, became the face of women’s MMA during a dominant run as UFC bantamweight champion between 2013 and 2015.

She successfully defended her title six times before suffering a shock knockout defeat against Holly Holm.

Following her initial retirement from the sport, the Californian transitioned to professional wrestling, capturing world titles during a four-year stint with WWE.

She was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018.

Carano steps back into the cage

Carano, widely regarded as a trailblazer for female fighters, has not competed professionally since a defeat by Cris Cyborg in 2009.

The 7-1 fighter was a major draw during her time in Strikeforce and helped raise the profile of women’s MMA prior to the UFC’s adoption of the division.

Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP, said the pairing of the two legends was the “perfect combination to enthrall the masses”.