Ronda Rousey, Gina Carano Set for Netflix Superfight

UFC Hall of Famer Rousey pitched the comeback fight to Dana White, but it 'didn't exactly work out'

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Ronda Rousey, a former UFC women's bantamweight champion, is set to face fellow MMA pioneer Gina Carano in a five-round featherweight bout on May 16 in Los Angeles. The fight will headline Netflix's first foray into live MMA, promoted by Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions. Rousey revealed she initially pitched the Carano fight to UFC president Dana White, but it 'didn't exactly work out' with the promotion.

Why it matters

Rousey and Carano are two of the most influential figures in women's MMA history. Their long-awaited matchup, taking place nearly a decade after Carano's last fight, will be one of the biggest combat sports events of 2026 and marks a significant milestone for the sport's growth.

The details

Rousey, a UFC Hall of Famer, said she came up with the idea for the fight while she was pregnant, seeing a video of Carano looking unhealthy. Rousey felt compelled to help Carano, who was a trailblazer in women's MMA before Rousey's rise to stardom. The two fighters worked together to overcome obstacles and make the fight happen on the Netflix platform after Rousey's initial pitch to Dana White and the UFC did not materialize.

  • Rousey last competed in a loss to Amanda Nunes in late 2016.
  • Carano has been inactive since her 2009 loss to Cris Cyborg.
  • The Rousey-Carano superfight is set for May 16, 2026 in Los Angeles.

The players

Ronda Rousey

A UFC Hall of Famer and one of the biggest stars the promotion has ever produced. An Olympic medalist in judo, she played a pivotal role in UFC CEO Dana White opening the doors for women to compete inside the Octagon.

Gina Carano

A women's MMA trailblazer who competed in the first-ever women's fight televised on Showtime in 2007 and became the first woman to headline a major MMA event in 2009.

Dana White

The UFC president, who Rousey initially pitched the Carano fight to but it 'didn't exactly work out'.

Jake Paul

The founder of Most Valuable Promotions, the company promoting the Rousey-Carano superfight on Netflix.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I was nine months pregnant, and I saw a video of Gina Carano giving an interview and she didn't look good. She gained an unhealthy amount of weight and my first thought was like, 'Oh my god, what can I do? What can I do to help?' And the reason why I had that thought was because she's the one woman, not only in MMA, that doesn't owe me a damn thing but that I owe immensely.”

— Ronda Rousey (ESPN)

“This has been in the making since I was pregnant, which is over a year ago. So it took a long time to get us here, and it's such a long story, I can't really keep it short for you, but we fought for this. We fought to fight each other. And there were a lot of obstacles along the way.”

— Ronda Rousey (ESPN)

What’s next

The Rousey-Carano superfight is set to take place on May 16, 2026 inside the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

The takeaway

The long-awaited matchup between two of the most influential figures in women's MMA history will be a landmark event, showcasing the sport's growth and the enduring legacy of Rousey and Carano as trailblazers who paved the way for future generations of female fighters.