Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano: Legends return for MMA Netflix fight

Former UFC star Ronda Rousey is set for her first MMA fight in nearly a decade. According to Yahoo Sports, she will face Gina Carano, a pioneer in women's MMA. The bout headlines a new event by Most Valuable Promotions on Netflix.

Rousey, 39, announced the matchup on social media. "Been waiting so long to announce this," Ronda Rousey said, reported by Yahoo Sports. "Me and Gina Carano are gonna throw down in the biggest super fight in women's combat sport history!"

The fight is set for Saturday, May 16, at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and it will stream live on Netflix. According to ESPN, fighters will compete at 145 pounds over five 5-minute rounds with 4-ounce gloves in a hexagon cage.

Rousey's path back to the cage

Rousey holds the UFC record for six straight bantamweight title defenses, as reported by ESPN. She dominated from 2011 to 2015 with quick armbar wins. Losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes ended her UFC run in 2016, ESPN confirmed.

Since then, Rousey thrived in WWE as a three-time champion. She starred in films like “The Expendables” and “Fast & Furious.” According to ESPN, the 2008 Olympic judo medalist entered the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018.

"Ronda Rousey is a 1-of-1 athlete," said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions alongside Jake Paul, according to ESPN. He noted her ticket sales and pay-per-view draws.

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Carano's power edge and reactions

Carano, 43, went 7-1 in MMA before retiring in 2009. According to Yahoo Sports, her only loss came to Cris Cyborg in a Strikeforce title fight. She competed at higher weights than Rousey, bringing size advantages.

Carano shifted to acting in “Haywire,” “Fast & Furious 6,” “Deadpool” and “The Mandalorian.” "Ronda came to me and said there is only one person she would make a comeback for," Gina Carano said, as reported by Yahoo Sports. "This is an honor. I believe I will walk out of this fight with the win..."

The news drew buzz from UFC fighters, per Yahoo Sports. Jake Paul’s promotion aims to disrupt combat sports. A news conference is planned for Thursday, March 5, at Intuit Dome.

Rousey first pitched the idea to UFC’s Dana White. It did not pan out there. Now, this women's MMA dream fight unites past stars for new fans.