Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are returning for a super fight
18 february 2026 в 18:13
More than ten years after fans first began discussing this dream matchup, Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are officially returning to the cage. These two pioneers of women’s MMA are coming out of retirement for a historic superfight, reigniting one of the most talked-about rivalries in sports.
«I have waited so long to announce this: Gina Carano and I are going to have the biggest superfight in the history of women’s combat sports!» Rousey said in an interview with ESPN. «We are partnering with MVP, a fighter-focused promotion, as well as the largest streaming service on the planet—Netflix. This is for all MMA fans, both past and future. There will be more news coming soon…»
Here’s everything you need to know about the fighters and how to watch their long-awaited bout.
Rousey is a former UFC bantamweight champion and one of the most influential athletes in the history of women’s MMA. Before stepping into the octagon, she made history at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, becoming the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo (a bronze). Shortly after, she transitioned to MMA and quickly gained fame in Strikeforce, later becoming the first UFC women’s bantamweight champion in 2012.
Rousey defended her title six times and became known for her dominant fighting style, particularly her signature move—the armbar—which helped bring women’s MMA to the forefront. After two consecutive losses in 2015 and 2016, she retired from the sport. Later, Rousey joined WWE, where she became a multiple-time women’s champion and headlined WrestleMania, as well as appearing in films such as «The Expendables 3» and «Furious 7».
Carano is widely regarded as one of the first faces of women’s mixed martial arts. She competed professionally from 2006 to 2009, fighting in EliteXC and Strikeforce, and helped draw attention to the sport at a time when women’s MMA was still struggling for visibility. She had a record of 7−1 before losing to Cris Cyborg in her last fight in 2009, after which she transitioned to acting.
Carano built a successful career in Hollywood, starring in films such as «The Expendables», - «Furious 6», - and «Deadpool», - and later regained popularity in her role as Cara Dune in «The Mandalorian». However, in 2021, she was removed from the Disney+ series following controversial social media posts that sparked backlash and accusations of offensive rhetoric. Carano denied any wrongdoing and later filed a lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm.
Rousey and Carano will meet in the ring on May 16, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The fight will be sanctioned under unified MMA rules, take place at featherweight (65 kg), and consist of five rounds.
The highly anticipated matchup will be streamed live worldwide on Netflix, marking the first live MMA event on the platform. Subscribers will be able to watch the fight in real-time as part of their Netflix subscription plan
«I have waited so long to announce this: Gina Carano and I are going to have the biggest superfight in the history of women’s combat sports!» Rousey said in an interview with ESPN. «We are partnering with MVP, a fighter-focused promotion, as well as the largest streaming service on the planet—Netflix. This is for all MMA fans, both past and future. There will be more news coming soon…»
Here’s everything you need to know about the fighters and how to watch their long-awaited bout.
Rousey is a former UFC bantamweight champion and one of the most influential athletes in the history of women’s MMA. Before stepping into the octagon, she made history at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, becoming the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo (a bronze). Shortly after, she transitioned to MMA and quickly gained fame in Strikeforce, later becoming the first UFC women’s bantamweight champion in 2012.
Rousey defended her title six times and became known for her dominant fighting style, particularly her signature move—the armbar—which helped bring women’s MMA to the forefront. After two consecutive losses in 2015 and 2016, she retired from the sport. Later, Rousey joined WWE, where she became a multiple-time women’s champion and headlined WrestleMania, as well as appearing in films such as «The Expendables 3» and «Furious 7».
Carano is widely regarded as one of the first faces of women’s mixed martial arts. She competed professionally from 2006 to 2009, fighting in EliteXC and Strikeforce, and helped draw attention to the sport at a time when women’s MMA was still struggling for visibility. She had a record of 7−1 before losing to Cris Cyborg in her last fight in 2009, after which she transitioned to acting.
Carano built a successful career in Hollywood, starring in films such as «The Expendables», - «Furious 6», - and «Deadpool», - and later regained popularity in her role as Cara Dune in «The Mandalorian». However, in 2021, she was removed from the Disney+ series following controversial social media posts that sparked backlash and accusations of offensive rhetoric. Carano denied any wrongdoing and later filed a lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm.
Rousey and Carano will meet in the ring on May 16, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The fight will be sanctioned under unified MMA rules, take place at featherweight (65 kg), and consist of five rounds.
The highly anticipated matchup will be streamed live worldwide on Netflix, marking the first live MMA event on the platform. Subscribers will be able to watch the fight in real-time as part of their Netflix subscription plan
© Artemenko Olga
