Ronda Rousey to Fight Gina Carano on May 16 in California

Ronda Rousey will fight Gina Carano in an MMA bout on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in California. This will be Rousey's first MMA bout in 10 years and Carano's first in 17 years. Rousey, 39, stated, 'It's not like my ovaries are fighting,' addressing concerns about age in the sport.

She also noted, 'I never hear Jon Jones' age being brought up as a disqualifying factor. ' Rousey has won 12 of her 14 professional MMA fights and defended the UFC bantamweight title six times. The fight will be promoted by Jake Paul's organization, Most Valuable Promotions, and will be broadcast live on Netflix.

Each fighter on the card will earn a minimum of $40,000, regardless of the fight's outcome. ' However, she acknowledged that a trilogy could change that decision. Rousey has two young daughters and two college-aged step-sons with her husband, Travis Browne.

A news conference to promote the fight occurred on April 15, 2026, at Palladium Times Square in New York City. Rousey reached out to UFC CEO Dana White about a potential fight with Carano 15 months ago while nine months pregnant with her second daughter, but the UFC did not meet her financial expectations, leading her to seek out MVP for the bout.