Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are set to end their long hiatuses from the sport of mixed martial arts for a highly anticipated showdown on May 16th. The bout, presented by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), is being billed as a landmark event for the sport.
The two fighters made their first public appearance together on Tuesday to promote the upcoming contest, which will take place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
“This is the biggest fight in mixed martial arts right now,” Rousey stated. “There aren’t two people in this sport with bigger international name recognition than Gina and I, with the exception of Conor McGregor, but nobody’s going to sanction that.”
Both Carano and Rousey were pioneers in the early days of women’s MMA. Carano rose to prominence as the sport’s first major female television star in the early 2000s, while Rousey’s talent later spurred the UFC to create women’s divisions in the 2010s.
However, the sport has evolved beyond these two icons, both of whom transitioned to careers in entertainment. Their drawing power appeared to eclipse their skills inside the octagon. Carano, who will turn 44 next month, hasn’t competed since 2009 and Rousey, 39, last fought in 2016 before starting a family.
“You only live once, and it makes me feel so alive,” Carano said.
The decision to return for this long-awaited fight, predicted for years, came despite significant detours in both fighters’ careers. Carano revealed she was persuaded to come back after numerous conversations with Rousey, who initially approached her about the fight while pregnant over a year ago, despite having never officially retired.
“This is the only fight that would craft me come back, the only fight that could inspire me like this,” Rousey confessed.
The five-round, five-minute-per-round contest will serve as the main event of the card. The matchup is generating significant buzz as it represents a clash of generations and a return of two figures who helped shape the landscape of women’s MMA.
