‘This is the biggest fight in the sport right now, and it needed to happen now. This is fate between us.’<\/p>\n
Published Mar 11, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 1\u00a0hour ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a bout that marks the comeback of two pioneers of women\u2019s mixed martial arts.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n And according to Ronda Rousey, her May 16 fight with Gina Carano will be the \u201cbiggest\u201d MMA bout going on today.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the biggest fight in MMA right now,\u201d Rousey said during a Tuesday press conference to hype up the event being held at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., and airing on Netflix.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are no two people in this sport with more international name recognition than me and Gina \u2014 except Conor (McGregor), but no one is going to sanction that. This isn\u2019t a charity card. This isn\u2019t a throwback, nostalgia card,\u201d Rousey said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the biggest fight in the sport right now, and it needed to happen now. This is fate between us. We have been on a collision course ever since I sat on a couch watching her on TV, just in complete awe at what this woman was doing,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Your Midday Sun<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cWe only get to live once, and this makes me feel so alive,\u201d said Carano.<\/p>\n Pioneers of women\u2019s MMA<\/p>\n It\u2019s been a decade since Rousey, 39, last fought in an MMA bout in the UFC. Carano, 43, is 17 years removed from the combat sport.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the 2000s, Carano was the sport\u2019s biggest early television star. Rousey \u2014 who said she became aware of MMA by watching Carano \u2014 became such a dominant, undefeated force in the sport that it persuaded the UFC to create women\u2019s divisions in the 2010s.<\/p>\n They both said they haven\u2019t fully given up on MMA and that the upcoming fight was hard to pass up.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s pretty incredible and surreal to be here today. It\u2019s healing. It\u2019s exciting. It\u2019s everything I could have hoped for. I didn\u2019t know I needed this so bad,\u201d said Carano.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The careers of Rousey and Carano have gone on different paths since leaving MMA long ago.<\/p>\n Rousey hung up her gloves after back-to-back losses to Holy Holm and Amanda Nunes in the UFC. She said she retired due to neurological issues \u201cthat I didn\u2019t really have any clarity about, and it just hurt to be around (the sport).\u201d<\/p>\n Carano had a 7-1 record in MMA, with her only loss coming at the hands of Cris Cyborg in August 2009. She later found success in acting and was infamously fired five years ago from The Mandalorian for her outspoken conservative views on social media.\u00a0<\/p>\n Carano said she never officially retired and was convinced to return after having lengthy chats with Rousey.<\/p>\n Rousey had no interest in MMA for several years as she dabbled in professional wrestling and started a family with husband Travis Browne, but got the itch after helping her coach in judo training.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cWe both need to rewrite our own endings together,\u201d Rousey said. \u201cSo I reached out to her, and it\u2019s been such a journey to get here. So many obstacles. So many people tried to get between us. We went from barely knowing each other to being like, \u2018You know what? We\u2019re going to fight each other.’\u201d<\/p>\n Both fighters will undergo\u00a0extra concussion tests. Rousey acknowledged she was forced to retire from her UFC career because of\u00a0repeated concussions, BBC<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n Why Carano wants to fight Rousey<\/p>\n Rousey and Carano faced off after the news conference: Rousey gave her signature menacing glare while Carano smiled back.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously the motivation to fight is Ronda asked me. She\u2019s quite the charmer,\u201d said Carano.<\/p>\n \u201cOther jobs came up like this but nothing is as important as this. To share the moment with her, we get to live once and this makes me feel so alive and super grateful for the opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n The Netflix event is being promoted by Jake Paul\u2019s Most Valuable Promotions. The card will also feature a bout pitting ex-UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou against Philipe Lins.<\/p>\n \u2014 With files from The Associated Press and ESPN<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Sean Strickland mocks Rousey vs. Carano fight: ‘Are they going to be half naked?’<\/p>\n![\"Ronda](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2265326011_301965877-e1773233913674.jpg\")
Ronda Rousey (L) and Gina Carano (R) face off in front of Jake Paul (C) during the Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Netflix 5X5 Professional MMA bound pre-fight press conference outside the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on March 10, 2026. Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON \/AFP via Getty ImagesArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.7.1\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tsun.svg\"){kind=logo}
<\/p>\n![\"opening](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.7.1\/websites\/images\/newsletters\/icon-sun-middaySun.svg\"\/){kind=icon}
<\/p>\n![\"lang='x-default'\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2265838077_301973021-e1773236436950.jpg\")
Ronda Rousey, Jake Paul, and Gina Carano pose onstage during Netflix\u2019s Ronda Rousey x Gina Carano Los Angeles MMA Press Conference at Intuit Dome on March 10, 2026 in Inglewood, California. Photo by Melina Pizano \/Getty Images for Netflix\u2018Rewrite our own endings together\u2019<\/p>\n![\"Sean](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/mma-ufc-297-weigh-in-20240119_281485588-e1771519734865.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
![\"Ronda](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Rousey.jpg\")
<\/p>\n