She's back! Ronda Rousey returns to MMA against a pioneer of the sport on Netflix.

R. Rousey has been retired from MMA since 2016. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook RondaRousey

Ten years after stepping into the octagon for the last time, Ronda Rousey She finally returns to MMA in a fight that caught many by surprise. The former UFC bantamweight champion (up to 61,2 kg) announced this Tuesday (17) her participation in a duel against Gina Carano, on May 16, in Inglewood, California. The confrontation will be broadcast by Netflix and is promoted by Most Valuable Promotions, a company of Jake Paul.

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The fight will follow the Unified Rules of MMA and is valid for the featherweight category (up to 65,7 kg). The two will face each other in a hexagon-shaped arena, with four oz gloves for five five-minute rounds. Rowdy seemed very happy in her initial statement.

“I’ve waited so long to announce this: Gina Carano and I will face off in the biggest super fight in women’s MMA history! And we’re partnering with MVP, the organization that prioritizes female fighters, and also with Netflix, the biggest and best streaming platform on the planet. This is for all MMA fans, past, present and future. More news coming soon… much more,” Rousey said in a statement to ESPN.

Two MMA legends are coming to Netflix.

Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano
Saturday May 16
Live only on Netflix.#RouseyCarano pic.twitter.com/zqdSC7l4in

- Netflix (@netflix) February 17, 2026

After making history on the mats as a bronze medalist in judo at the 2008 Olympics, Ronda became the first UFC champion and was quickly catapulted to stardom in a period dubbed by some international media as 'Rondamania'. In addition to defending her title six times and engaging in rivalries with... Miesha Tate e Bethe CorreiaThe American actress has participated in major film productions such as Fast & Furious 7 and The Expendables 3.

At the time with an undefeated record, Ronda's career took a dramatic turn when she lost the title to... Holly holm, being knocked out in the second round with a head kick. From that moment on, the fighter went on hiatus for more than a year, only to return against Amanda nunes and be defeated again, this time in 48 seconds.

Gina Carano and Ronda Rousey are pioneers of MMA.

Carano (pictured) fought in Strikeforce. Photo: Press release/Strikeforce

While Rousey was the leading name in women's MMA in the UFC, Gina Carano filled that role even before Dana White was convinced to include women in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The American built an undefeated record with seven fights between 2006 and 2008. She stood out in events like EliteXC and quickly became a recognized name in the sport.

In 2009, Gina competed for the featherweight title (up to 65,7 kg) with Chris CyborgShe was brutally knocked out in the last second of the first round and has since dedicated herself to her film career, but has been speculated to return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on several occasions. Now, at 43 years old, she will finally return to MMA against an opponent four years younger.