Despite rumors of a UFC White House appearance, Rousey and Carano will instead headline a special Netflix mixed martial arts (MMA) event on Sat., May 16, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Their bout will be contested at featherweight (145 lbs.) across five, five-minute rounds inside a hexagon cage.
“Ronda came to me and said there is only one person she would make a comeback for and it has been her dream to make this fight happen between us,” Carano (7-1) said in today’s release. “She thanked me for opening up doors for her in her career and was respectful in asking for this fight to happen. This is an honor. I believe I will walk out of this fight with the win and I anticipate it will not come easy, which I welcome. This is as much for Ronda and me as it is for the fans and mixed martial arts community. What a time to be alive.”
Tickets for Rousey vs. Carano go on sale on March 5 at Ticketmaster.com.
“MVP has always been driven by disruption and delivering the biggest moments in combat sports on a global scale, and today we are officially bringing that energy to MMA for the first time,” said Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions. “Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are the two most formative figures in the history of women’s MMA; they are the icons who shattered the glass ceiling and helped build the foundation this sport stands on. MVP’s conviction in women’s boxing was driven by the success achieved by Ronda Rousey, who was the biggest star of the entire sport of MMA during her career. Following the unprecedented success of our boxing partnership, we are proving that MVP and Netflix can create blockbuster live events in multiple sports that engage fans across generations. This is what we do.”
Expect the “Rousey vs. Carano” undercard to be announced in the coming days.
