Ronda Rousey has revealed that her highly anticipated fight against Gina Carano will mark the conclusion of her mixed martial arts career. She shared this significant announcement during a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani podcast.
The bout is scheduled for May 16, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and will headline the inaugural MMA event promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, to be streamed live on Netflix. The fight will adhere to unified MMA rules, featuring five five-minute rounds in a hexagon cage, with fighters using 4-ounce gloves.
Rousey described the matchup with Carano as her “dream fight,” representing the perfect culmination of her MMA journey. Speaking with Helwani, she disclosed that she had promised her husband, Travis Browne, that this would be her final fight, even securing his support for post-fight promotional activities. Browne is reportedly not in favor of her continuing to compete.
Looking beyond the fight, Rousey expressed her desire to expand her family and pursue her passion for writing graphic novels. She emphasized that financial incentives would not tempt her to continue fighting, as her family already enjoys sufficient financial freedom.
“I promised my husband up and down that this is the last one. He’s the one that I really got to convince to get on board for this promoter shit afterwards. He’s not 100% sold on it. He’s not going for the fighting at all after this. This is the dream fight. This is the absolute pinnacle… This is the perfect way to end it.”
This upcoming fight signifies Rousey’s return to MMA after nearly a decade, with her last appearance being a first-round knockout loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 on December 30, 2016. Prior to that, she suffered a knockout defeat to Holly Holm at UFC 193 in 2015. Rousey has previously cited concussions sustained in judo and MMA as significant factors in her decision to step away in 2016. Her professional MMA record stands at 12 wins and 2 losses, with nine victories by knockout.
Gina Carano will be returning to the octagon after a 17-year hiatus, her last fight being a knockout loss to Cris Cyborg in 2009. Carano’s record is 7 wins and 1 loss, with three knockouts.
Rousey, aged 39, and Carano, aged 44, are both making comebacks after lengthy periods away from the sport. While Rousey is favored by bookmakers due to her grappling prowess, Carano poses a significant striking threat.
Rousey made history in 2013 as the UFC’s first women’s champion, successfully defending her bantamweight title six times before her successive defeats. She transitioned to professional wrestling with WWE in 2018, where she main-evented WrestleMania, before departing in 2023 to focus on her family. Rousey was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018.