Sports
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6 min read

Fighter pay disputes, mutual respect, and a new promotional model shape the buildup to the May 16 Rousey-Carano showdown at Intuit Dome.

The world of mixed martial arts is buzzing with anticipation as two of its most iconic pioneers, Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, prepare to make their long-awaited returns to the cage. The highly publicized showdown is set for May 16, 2026, at the sparkling new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and it promises to be a landmark event not just for women’s MMA, but for the sport as a whole. Both fighters, who have been away from professional competition for years, are stepping back into the spotlight under the Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) banner, with the event set to stream globally on Netflix.

At a press conference held on March 10, 2026, the energy was palpable as Rousey and Carano faced off, not with animosity, but with mutual respect and admiration. The two legends shared smiles, briefly held hands, and embraced—an uncharacteristic but genuine display of camaraderie for a sport known for its fierce rivalries. The event, emceed by Ariel Helwani and joined by co-main event fighters Francis Ngannou and Philipe Lins, underscored the significance of this comeback bout, which both athletes have described as the fight they’ve always wanted.

Rousey, who last fought in 2016 and has since become a household name in both MMA and entertainment, was clear about what this fight means to her. “This is the biggest fight in MMA right now,” Rousey declared. “There are no two people in this sport with more international name recognition than me and Gina—except Conor [McGregor], but no one is going to sanction that.” Her words echoed the sentiment felt by many fans and pundits: the Rousey-Carano bout is a once-in-a-lifetime event, years in the making.

Carano, a trailblazer for women in combat sports and the sport’s first major female television star, hasn’t fought since 2009. Her return was sparked by a heartfelt overture from Rousey, who reached out while nine months pregnant with her second daughter in December 2024. Carano revealed, “Well, obviously the motivation is Ronda personally asked me, and she was quite the charmer for so much, and she just, she inspired me.” The two fighters, both of whom have enjoyed successful careers outside the cage, agreed that this was the only fight that could draw them back into the octagon. “She’s my ‘one’ as well,” Carano added, underscoring the deep respect and kinship between the two competitors.

The journey to making this fight a reality was anything but straightforward. Rousey explained that the initial plan was to stage the bout under the UFC banner, targeting a New Year’s event as the last fight under the traditional pay-per-view model. However, the UFC’s transition to a streaming partnership with Paramount+ and a subsequent shift in business priorities made the deal unworkable. Rousey recounted, “Originally we were going to do New Year’s, and it was going to be the last fight under the pay-per-view model, and [Dana White] offered me the best pay-per-view structure ever and I was so grateful. But then Gina said she needed more time to get into the best shape possible and that she wanted me to fight the best version of herself. I think that was fate. It was meant to be.”

As the UFC’s focus shifted toward maximizing shareholder value, Rousey and Carano decided to take matters into their own hands. With the support of MVP, co-founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, and a lucrative streaming partnership with Netflix, they set out to stage what Rousey believes will be “the most viewed MMA fight of all time.” Rousey’s leadership and Carano’s trust in her vision were pivotal. “I’m so grateful that Gina trusted me when it wasn’t going to work out with the UFC. I told her, I was like, ‘We can do this on our own. We don’t need them. We don’t need anyone.’ And she said, ‘I’m going to follow your lead. I’m going to trust you.’ And that’s what led us to MVP, and to Netflix, and to us sitting here to put on the most viewed MMA fight of all time.”

While the relationship between Rousey and Carano is defined by respect, Rousey did not hold back in her criticism of the UFC, particularly regarding fighter compensation. In recent months, the issue of UFC fighter pay has come to the forefront, especially after British boxer Conor Benn signed a $15 million contract with Zuffa Boxing, dwarfing the earnings of many top UFC stars. Rousey, speaking candidly at the press conference, said, “It used to be that the UFC was the best place that you can come in combat sports to make a living and get paid fairly. Now, it’s no longer. It’s one of the worst places to go. It’s why so many of their top athletes are leaving to go and find pay elsewhere. It’s why there champions like Valentina [Shevchenko] are selling pictures of their titties on OnlyFans. These people are a lot of them at the ground level. They can’t support their families. They’re living poverty level, fighting full-time. This company just got $7.7 billion. There’s no reason they can’t afford to pay their athletes at least a living wage.”

Rousey’s remarks reflect a broader frustration among fighters, many of whom feel that the UFC’s corporate structure and focus on shareholder profits have come at the expense of athlete welfare. She continued, “They’re bleeding talent because of their short-term greed. They’re thinking about the next quarter thinking about the shareholders. They’re not thinking about their responsibility to be stewards of the future of the sport.” Despite her criticisms, Rousey expressed continued respect for UFC president Dana White, calling him “loyal to a fault” and acknowledging his pivotal role in her career.

For Carano, the return to MMA is both a personal and professional milestone. She recently revealed that she has married her longtime partner, Muay Thai fighter Kevin Ross, and is living in Montana. Rousey, meanwhile, is raising her daughters with husband and former UFC heavyweight Travis Browne in Riverside, California. Both women have found fulfillment outside the cage, but the allure of one last fight—against the only opponent that truly matters to each—proved irresistible.

The May 16 event at Intuit Dome will also feature former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who was recently released from the Professional Fighters League after a single, dominant appearance. Ngannou will face Philipe Lins in the co-main event, adding further star power to an already stacked card.

As the countdown to fight night continues, fans are left to savor the rare spectacle of two legends rewriting their legacies on their own terms. Rousey summed it up best: “This is trying to rewrite my ending with Gina. Maybe it’s like a ‘Lord of the Rings’ ending that keeps going on and on, or maybe it’s a grand finale. But I promised my husband, this is definitely the last one.”

With mutual admiration, a shared sense of purpose, and a desire to challenge the status quo, Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are set to deliver a fight that transcends sport—a testament to the enduring spirit of competition and the power of forging one’s own path.