Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano will end their lengthy retirements from mixed martial arts to fight each other in May on an event run by Jake Paul.
The two pioneering fighters announced their returns for a bout that will be staged by Most Valuable Promotions, the combat sports promotion established by Paul and his business partner, Nakisa Bidarian. The show will be broadcast on Netflix.
The 39-year-old Rousey hasn’t fought since 2016, while the 43-year-old Carano’s eight-bout MMA career ended in 2009. They’ll fight at 145 pounds for five five-minute rounds.
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Despite their lengthy absences, Rousey and Carano remain two of the most iconic fighters in MMA history for their trailblazing careers.
Ronda Rousey during her UFC career. Getty
Carano led the once-outlawed sport into the mainstream, while Rousey secured the enthusiastic acceptance of women’s MMA by Dana White and the UFC.
Rousey (12-2) rose to become arguably the biggest star in all of MMA after winning an Olympic medal in judo in 2008, with her armbar finishes and charisma singlehandedly prompting White to begin promotion of female fighters.
Rousey won the UFC’s first-ever women’s bout in 2013 to claim the bantamweight title belt, and she still holds the promotion’s record with six title defenses.
After ending 11 of her first 12 fights in the first round, her career abruptly stalled when she lost back-to-back bouts to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, prompting her to move on to acting, professional wrestling and motherhood.
“Been waiting so long to announce this: me and Gina Carano are gonna throw down in the biggest super fight in women’s combat sport history!” Rousey said.
”This is for all MMA fans past, present and future.”
Rousey did reveal in an interview with ESPN that she reached out to White to gauge whether there was any interest in UFC officials making the fight.
“It didn’t exactly work out with the UFC, but it led us here today,” she said.
Carano (7-1) fought in the first Nevada-sanctioned MMA bout between women in 2006, and she won a series of fights that made her a TV draw in the sport’s early days.
She was stopped by Cris “Cyborg” Justino in her most recent fight in August 2009, and she moved on to an acting career despite repeated rumors of a return to the cage.
“Ronda came to me and said there is only one person she would make a comeback for, and it has been her dream to make this fight happen between us,” Carano said.
“She thanked me for opening up doors for her in her career and was respectful in asking for this fight to happen. This is an honour. I believe I will walk out of this fight with the win and I anticipate it will not come easy, which I welcome.
“This is as much for Ronda and me as it is for fans and mixed martial arts community.”
Gina Carano. Getty
Carano, who turns 44 in April, landed several prominent film roles and became a cast member of Disney’s “The Mandalorian” before her contract was not renewed in 2021 after she expressed controversial right-wing views in a series of social media posts.
She settled a lawsuit last year against Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company over her claim that she was fired for the posts.
Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions is making its first foray into MMA promotion after four years of promoting boxing.
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