Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano MMA Fight Set For Netflix, Former WWE Star's 1st Bout Since 2016

Former UFC women's bantamweight champion and WWE Superstar Ronda Rousey is set to make her return to mixed martial arts for the first time in a decade.

Netflix announced on Tuesday that Rousey will face Gina Carano in an MMA fight on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The fight, which is promoted by Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions, marks Rousey's first time competing in MMA since 2016.

According to ESPN's Andreas Hale, Rousey and Carano will be competing at 145 pounds in a professionally sanctioned fight under the Unified Rules of MMA that will be contested over five five-minute rounds, inside a hexagon cage. They will be wearing four-ounce gloves customary for an MMA fight.

"Been waiting so long to announce this: Me and Gina Carano are gonna throw down in the biggest super fight in women's combat sport history!" Rousey said in a statement, per Hale. "And we're partnering with the fighter-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. More to come… much more."

Rousey was the first female fighter to be signed to the UFC, and she helped lead the company through its golden era. After becoming the inaugural UFC women's bantamweight champion, she defended the title a record six times in dominant fashion. Her incredible run ended with back-to-back losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, and she was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018.

After leaving MMA behind, Rousey transitioned to WWE and became a three-time world champion during her tenure from 2018 to 2022. She's starred in multiple movies and has gone on to become a New York Times best-selling author.

Carano, who hasn't competed in an MMA fight in 17 years, is also regarded as a pioneer of the sport. She made history alongside Cris Cyborg when they faced each other for the inaugural Strikeforce women's 145-pound title in 2009, marking the first women's fight to headline a major MMA event. She also transitioned to acting after her MMA career.

"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 said in a statement. "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."

Hale noted that Rousey and Carano will be part of a kickoff news conference on March 5 at Intuit Dome, and more MMA fights will be announced for the card at a later date.