Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Netflix today announced a colossal MMA showdown headlined by the return of former UFC champion and Olympic medalist Ronda Rousey (12-2, 9 Submissions, 3 KOs) vs. combat sports trailblazer Gina Carano (7-1, 1 Submission, 3 KOs) in a featherweight bout at 145lbs.
This event will be professionally sanctioned under the Unified Rules of MMA and contested over five, 5-minute rounds using 4oz gloves inside a hexagon cage. It will take place on Saturday, May 16, at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, CA, and will stream live globally, only on Netflix at no additional cost to its 300+ million members. More fights on the card will be announced at a later date.
A Historic Moment in Combat Sports
Rousey vs. Carano represents a landmark in combat sports as Netflix’s first-ever live MMA broadcast and MVP’s inaugural MMA event. The matchup unites Rousey, the woman who shattered the glass ceiling for female fighters, with Carano, the sport’s first true crossover star. This fight has been years in the making.
This announcement follows the unprecedented global success of MVP and Netflix’s boxing partnership, which redefined the sport for the streaming era. Highlights include:
- Paul vs. Tyson (Nov 2024) – most-streamed sporting event of all time with 125 million viewers (Live+1)
- Taylor vs. Serrano 2 – most-watched professional women’s sports event in U.S. history
- Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua: Judgment Day – continued disruption and fan engagement
Tickets & VIP Experiences
Tickets for Rousey vs. Carano will go on sale Thursday, March 5 at 10am PT/1pm ET on Ticketmaster.com. Fans can also sign up for presale now at RouseyCarano.com. The event will feature MVP’s exclusive VIP experiences, including the MVP Owner’s Experience.
Press Conference Details
Rousey and Carano will meet face-to-face for the Rousey vs. Carano Kickoff Press Conference on Thursday, March 5 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. The press conference will be hosted by renowned combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani. Media credentialing applications can be submitted here.
Ronda Rousey: The “Baddest Woman on the Planet”
Ronda Rousey transformed martial arts as UFC’s first female Bantamweight Champion. Key highlights of her career include:
- First woman inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame
- Catapulted women’s WWE division to first WrestleMania main event
- Olympic bronze medalist in judo
- New York Times bestselling author and actress (Fast & Furious, The Expendables)
Rousey resides in Los Angeles with her husband, former UFC heavyweight contender Travis Browne, and their four children.
Ronda Rousey Statement
“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! And we’re partnering with MVP as well as Netflix. This is for all MMA fans past, present and future!” – Ronda Rousey
Gina Carano: Pioneer of Women’s MMA
Gina “Conviction” Carano compiled a professional record of 7–1–0 in MMA, following a strong foundation in Muay Thai (12–1–1). She is widely recognized as the “Face of Women’s MMA,” headlining the first major MMA event featuring two women in the main event alongside Cris Cyborg in 2009. Carano later transitioned to Hollywood with major roles in Haywire, Fast & Furious 6, Deadpool, and The Mandalorian.
Gina Carano Statement
“Ronda came to me and said there is only one person she would make a comeback for. It’s an honor to fight her, and I believe I will walk out with the win. This is as much for us as it is for the fans and MMA community.” – Gina Carano
MVP & Netflix Commentary
Jake Paul & Nakisa Bidarian, MVP Co-Founders: “Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are the two most formative figures in the history of women’s MMA. Following our boxing success, we are proving MVP and Netflix can create blockbuster live events in multiple sports.”
Gabe Spitzer, Netflix VP of Sports: “After record-breaking success in boxing, our first MMA event needed to be legendary. Rousey and Carano headline our MMA debut at Intuit Dome—a defining moment for us.”
What’s Next
Additional information, including undercard bouts and full event details, will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans are encouraged to stay tuned for more updates as MVP and Netflix continue to reshape live combat sports.
