If you find yourself captivated by an intense showdown between two women in an MMA cage, you can credit two remarkable women who haven’t entered an MMA ring for over ten years.
Ronda Rousey played a pivotal role in bringing women’s fighting to the UFC, while Gina Carano was instrumental in bringing women’s MMA to the forefront.
For these reasons, when Rousey and Carano make their return from lengthy retirements to face each other on May 16 in Inglewood, California, it will be a momentous occasion. yet, it’s important to note that this might not result in a stellar fight. Rousey is 39 and hasn’t competed since 2016, and Carano, turning 44 on fight night, will step into the cage for the first time since 2009.
In the past, a matchup between Rousey and Carano would have been a battle between the top tier of women’s MMA. Today, in 2026, that’s far from the case. What we’re witnessing is more of a spectacle—a reflection of the evolving landscape in combat sports.
When Rousey was a leading star in MMA, she attained her fame—and the significant earnings that accompanied it—by being the most formidable competitor in the sport, regardless of gender. In 2011, the same year that CEO Dana White claimed women would “never” compete in the UFC, “Rowdy Ronda” debuted professionally, launching a streak of 12 finishes, most within the first round, with eight opponents not surviving even a minute. While convincing White of their potential, Rousey captured audiences with the allure similar to that of a peak Mike Tyson, but fans tuned in to witness a rapid armbar rather than a swift knockout.
yet, Rousey might not have existed if not for Carano, the pioneering force. though not the first woman in MMA—women’s bouts in North America date back to the 1990s—Carano participated in the first women’s fight in a major promotion, Strikeforce, in 2006. A year later, she starred in the first televised women’s fight on Showtime. In 2009, her match against Cris Cyborg was a Strikeforce main event, outshining four male fighters who later became champions in Strikeforce, Bellator, or the UFC.
The landscape of combat sports has transformed significantly since Carano’s last bout in August 2009, which turned out to be her retirement match. Fighters now carve their identities beyond just their combat skills; many of today’s top MMA stars elevate their profiles through sharp words, outrageous stunts, and gimmicky matchups. Even those who’ve long hung up their gloves can still secure a hefty paycheck by staging a spectacle that often resembles a circus more than a genuine competition.
In the years since Rousey last fought, we’ve seen MMA fighters transition to boxing for sizable paydays, sparked by Conor McGregor and an out-of-retirement Floyd Mayweather Jr., who made a fortune in 2017. Jake Paul, known for his social media influence, has built an empire around boxing MMA fighters who may not be accustomed to that arena. In 2024, he faced 58-year-old Tyson, who, despite once being the toughest man alive, didn’t perform to expectations.
When each of these matchups was revealed, the prevalent question was always, “Why?” yet, with Rousey vs. Carano, my response is, “Why not?”
Rousey has shared one reason against it. Two years ago, while promoting her memoir, “Our Fight,” she disclosed a history of concussions from her time in judo, where she earned a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics. She admitted to keeping the head trauma from the UFC and regulators, fearing it would “literally put a target on my head” and limit her ability to compete further.
ESPN reached out to California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy support regarding possible additional testing required for Rousey, but received no immediate response. Rousey appeared on “SportsCenter” on Tuesday, mentioning that she requires more recovery time post-training sessions compared to her UFC years, but she didn’t address her concussion history.
If there’s a silver lining to this spectacle, Rousey and Carano will at least be competing within their own sport. Recent reports suggested that Rousey aimed to box two-division champion Katie Taylor, but that is a matchup many would prefer not to witness. This MMA bout, however, holds a bit of intrigue, mainly to see what each fighter has left after so many years away from the cage. Can Carano still effectively trade blows to keep the fight standing, or will Rousey easily secure a takedown and submit Carano without breaking a sweat?
Yet, competitiveness isn’t the main focus of this event. This is a chance for two trailblazers of women’s MMA to step into the limelight they’ve helped create, and likely, a substantial payout awaits them.
Fighters don’t receive pensions. Some prepare for life beyond the cage or ring, while others leave the sport in financial distress.
Carano successfully built a Hollywood career for herself after her retirement. In the 17 years since she left MMA, she has appeared in over a dozen films, including a role in the sixth installment of the “Fast & Furious” franchise. Rousey has also made appearances in movies and television, but her primary focus has been WWE. She even started her retirement plan before exiting MMA, making a guest appearance at WrestleMania in 2014 while still holding the UFC women’s bantamweight title.
Regarding the leading MMA promotion, Rousey mentioned on “SportsCenter” that she gauged interest from White but “it didn’t exactly work out with the UFC.” This adds an intriguing layer. White has predicted that the UFC’s event at the White House on June 14 will be “the most-watched UFC event ever.” because Rousey, the biggest star in UFC history after McGregor, has 16.8 million Instagram followers while Carano boasts 1.8 million, could this spectacle outshine the UFC’s upcoming date in the nation’s capital?
To assert that Rousey and Carano aren’t in it for the money would be a misleading assertion, as this is, after all, prizefighting where financial gain is a primary motivator. yet, observing their fight résumés suggests that monetary incentives may not be their only driving force.
Carano chose to walk away in 2009 after a brutal defeat against Cyborg. Rousey faced a shocking knockout loss to Holly Holm before 56,000 fans in Australia in 2015, and after a year out of the spotlight, returned only to be knocked out in 48 seconds by Amanda Nunes. For both women, this return offers a chance to rewrite the conclusion of their stories.
Or will this fight pave the way for new chapters in their journeys?
