Ronda Rousey coming out of MMA retirement to fight Carano

“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!” Ronda Rousey said

Published: February 18, 2026 11:41am

Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano will end their retirement from mixed martial arts and face off in a fight in May.

The fight is scheduled for May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. It will be staged by Most Valuable Promotions, and stream on Netflix, the two fighters announced Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.

Rousey, 39, hasn’t fought since 2016, while 43-year-old Carano’s MMA career ended in 2009. The two will fight at 145 pounds for five, five-minute rounds.

Both Rousey and Carano remain two of the most iconic fighters in MMA history, as Carano led their once-outlawed sport into broadcast television, and Rousey secured the acceptance of women’s MMA by Dana White and the UFC.

After winning 11 of her first 12 fights in the first round, Rousey's career abruptly stalled when she lost back-to-back bouts to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, resulting in her move 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.”

Carano fought in the first Nevada-sanctioned MMA women's fight in 2006, and won a series of fights in the sport’s early days. Her MMA career was stopped by Cris “Cyborg” Justino in her last fight in 2009, and she moved on to an acting career.

Carano became a cast member of Disney’s “The Mandalorian” before her contract was not renewed in 2021 following a series of political social media posts. Last year, she settled a lawsuit against Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company over her claim that she was fired for the posts.

“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 honor. 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 the fans and mixed martial arts community.”

The Facts Inside Our Reporter's Notebook

Unlock unlimited access

  • No Ads Within Stories
  • No Autoplay Videos
  • VIP access to exclusive Just the News newsmaker events hosted by John Solomon and his team.
  • Support the investigative reporting and honest news presentation you've come to enjoy from Just the News.
  • Just the News Spotlight

    Support Just the News