Ronda Rousey Calls on Women in MMA to 'Learn' from Her and Gina Carano

Former UFC champion believes modern fighters need to focus more on 'storytelling' to grow the sport

Apr. 18, 2026 at 6:05pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An abstract, neon-colored painting depicting two female MMA fighters in mid-combat, their faces and bodies dissolving into vibrant, energetic brushstrokes that capture the raw power and emotion of the sport.Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano's highly anticipated MMA comeback fight aims to showcase the raw power and storytelling potential of women's combat sports.Inglewood Today

Ronda Rousey is making her return to MMA action in 2026, facing off against fellow pioneer Gina Carano in a highly anticipated Netflix event. Rousey believes many current female fighters are missing a key aspect of the sport, arguing they need to put more thought into media and 'storytelling' to truly level up the women's MMA landscape.

Why it matters

Rousey was a trailblazer for women in the Octagon, helping legitimize and grow the sport during her historic UFC title reign. Her comments suggest she feels the current crop of female fighters have more work to do in order to truly capitalize on the platform she helped establish.

The details

Rousey will fight Carano, who has been out of action since 2009, in what will be the first-ever MMA event to air on Netflix. During a press conference, Rousey went after current UFC champion Kayla Harrison, saying many modern fighters need to learn from how she and Carano have approached the media and 'storytelling' aspects of the sport, not just the fighting itself.

  • Rousey and Carano will fight on May 16, 2026 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
  • Rousey has been out of MMA competition for a decade, last fighting in 2016.

The players

Ronda Rousey

A former UFC women's bantamweight champion who was a pioneer and trailblazer for women in MMA. She is making a comeback fight against Gina Carano in 2026.

Gina Carano

A former MMA fighter who was one of the first prominent women in the sport, competing from 2006 to 2009. She is returning to face Rousey in a highly anticipated Netflix event.

Kayla Harrison

A current UFC champion who Rousey criticized during the press conference, saying many modern fighters need to learn from how she and Carano have approached the media and 'storytelling' aspects of the sport.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I don't know if (women's MMA) has leveled up yet. I think they've done an incredible job (since I left), but a lot of them need to realize that just going in and fighting isn't the whole job, and really putting a lot of thought into media. Your job isn't to win fights, it's to get people to watch your fights.”

— Ronda Rousey, Former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion

“It's awesome that people are watching the brand...but it's important for all the women to learn from this, from what me and Gina are doing, and what we've done in the past. We don't just show up and fight. It's storytelling. I put a lot of thought into anything that could be asked of me. Like that rant I went on (against Harrison). It wasn't like I never thought about what I would say if somebody asked me.”

— Ronda Rousey, Former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion

What’s next

The highly anticipated Rousey vs. Carano fight will take place on May 16, 2026 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, marking the first-ever MMA event to air on Netflix.

The takeaway

Ronda Rousey's comments highlight her belief that the current generation of female MMA fighters need to focus more on the 'storytelling' and media aspects of the sport, not just the fighting itself, in order to truly capitalize on the platform she helped establish during her historic UFC title reign.