Ronda Rousey rolled back the years to defeat Gina Carano on her grand return to MMA.
Rousey fought Carano in the main event of Netflix’s first MMA show on Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
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Rousey went straight for the takedown and locked in an armbar with easeCredit: Getty
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Carano couldn’t escape and tapped out instantlyCredit: GettyRousey vs Carano ends in 17 seconds
The 39-year-old was competing in MMA for the first time in 10 years and instantly shot for a takedown seconds into the fight.
Carano attempted a guillotine with Rousey in her guard, but the latter quickly escaped and landed some quick follow-up blows on the ground.
In an instant, Rousey manoeuvred her body and quickly locked in a trademark armbar.
Carano tapped straight away and the fight was all but over in 17 seconds.
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Both female fighting stars had returned to the sport after lengthy retirements, with Carano revealing in the build-up to the event that she lost a whopping 100lbs to make weight.
Rousey, who hadn’t fought since a December 2016 defeat in the UFC to Amanda Nunes, called Carano ‘my f***ing hero’ after getting the win.
“Gina is the person who brought me into MMA, she’s the only person who could’ve brought me back to MMA,” Rousey said.
“You brought me back home when nobody else could, you showed me where my home was when nobody else could.
“You changed my world, we changed THE world, and I will never be able to pay you back enough.
“I’m so glad we were able to share this moment.”
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Rousey and Carano were all smiles after Netflix’s first MMA eventCredit: GettyOne-and-done for Rousey and Carano
‘Rowdy’ then definitively ruled out competing again, saying she wants to now go and have more children, despite the positive reception she’s received since returning.
“There’s no way I could’ve ended it better than this,” Rousey said.
“I want to have some more babies and I gotta get cooking.”
Carano was thankful that she was simply able to make it to the cage.
“I wanted that to last longer,” the 44-year-old said.
“I felt like I was so ready, I felt so good, but I haven’t been here for 17 years.
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Rousey was happy to get in and out as soon as she didCredit: Getty
Rousey vs Carano: Full results
Main card
Mike Perry def. Nate Diaz (Diaz retired in round two)Francis Ngannou def. Philipe Lins via first-round KOSalahdine Parnasse def. Kenny Cross via first-round KORobelis Despaigne def. Junior dos Santos via first-round KO
Prelims
Namo Fazil def. Jake Babian via second-round submissionAdriano Moraes def. Phumi Nkuta via third-round submissionJason Jackson def. Jeff Creighton via first-round KODavid Mgoyan def. Albert Morales via unanimous decisionAline Pereira def. Jade Masson-Wong via split decisionBrandon Jenkins def. Chris Avila via split decision
“I wanted to hit her, [but] right now, getting in the cage was a victory, fighting a legend was a victory.
“I feel great. I just feel like I wanted a fight and I didn’t get that.”
Carano, too, made it seem like it was a one-and-done for her in terms of fighting again.
Despite the bout ending in 17 seconds, it’s only the third fastest finish of Rousey’s career.
She scored first-round stoppages in 16 and 14 seconds during her historic reign in the UFC, where she became the promotion’s first female champion and inaugural female Hall of Fame inductee.
Rousey was reportedly paid a disclosed purse of $2.2million dollars for the fight, while Carano earned over $1m.
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Ngannou made a successful return to the cage on the Netflix cardCredit: Getty
Elsewhere at the Intuit Dome, Mike Perry defeated Nate Diaz in a bloodbath co-main event and Francis Ngannou demolished Philipe Lins in his MMA return.
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Furthermore, Junior dos Santos was brutally knocked out by Robelis Despaigne, Jason Jackson scored another emphatic stoppage and Alex Pereira’s sister, Aline, secured her third professional win.
Conor McGregor’s return to the UFC was also announced at the same time as the Netflix show by Dana White, who was evidently looking to take some of the attention away from his rival promoters.