Ronda Rousey Returns: MMA Superstar To End Retirement for Netflix Superfight Against Gina Carano

She’s Baaaaack! And this time the comeback is real.Former UFC champion and Olympic medalist Ronda Rousey, who has not fought in a cage since 2016, is returning to mixed-martial arts on May 16 to face fellow women’s pioneer Gina Carano in a five-round featherweight bout at Intuit Dome.Ms. Rousey’s long-speculated return will be streamed live globally on Netflix at no additional cost to subscribers. The fight marks Netflix’s first live MMA broadcast and is being promoted by Jake Paul’s MVP Promotions.“Me and Gina Carano are gonna throw down in the biggest super fight in women’s combat sport history!” Ms. Rousey, 39, said. “And we’re partnering with the fight-first promotion MVP as well as the biggest and baddest streamer on the planet, Netflix. This is for all MMA fans past, present and future.”Ms. Rousey, the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo, was the first woman ever signed by the UFC. She quickly became a global superstar, headlining popular pay-per-view events. The self-proclaimed “Rowdy” Ronda made six successful defenses of her Bantamweight title before losing to Holly Holm in November 2015.Ms. Rousey’s last appearance in the UFC was in December 2016 when she lost by knockout to Amanda Nunes. She then entered the WWE, seemingly putting her MMA career in the rear view mirror. But speculation about a return to the cage has been circulating in recent months, culminating with Tuesday’s announcement.Ms. Carano, 43, is an MMA pioneer in her own right, headlining the first major MMA event featuring women when she fought Cris Cyborg in 2009. Both Ms. Rowdy and Ms. Carano transitioned into acting careers but are now eager to throw hands in the 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,” Ms. Carano said. “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 fans and the mixed martial arts community. What a time to be alive.”The combatants will meet face-to-face at a press conference scheduled for March 5 at Intuit Dome, site of the recent NBA All-Star Game and home of the Los Angeles Clippers.After leaving the UFC, Ms. Rousey married former UFC heavyweight Travis Browne. They have two sons and two daughters.The fight is huge for MVP Promotions, which has partnered with Netflix on boxing events featuring Mr. Paul, who defeated Mike Tyson, but lost recently to Anthony Joshua. Amanda Serrano and her duels with Katie Taylor promoted by MVP, and the matchup of Terrance Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez promoted by Zuffa Boxing last September also did big business for Netflix.“After the record-breaking success of boxing, we wanted our first MMA event to be truly legendary,” Gabe Spitzer, Netflix VP of Sports said. “We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with MVP and bring together Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano to deliver the kind of high-stakes, icon-driven competition that our members crave. These are more than just athletes; they are generational stars—and having them headline our MMA debut at Intuit Dome is a defining moment for us.”Additional information, including undercard bouts, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Ronda Rousey Returns: MMA Superstar To End Retirement for Netflix Superfight Against Gina Carano

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