Ronda Rousey says Carano fight will smash pay record

Ronda Rousey said on May 15 that her comeback fight against Gina Carano would break the pay record for women in combat sports, using the final pre-fight media session to frame the bout as a test of market power as much as competition. BBC Sport reported that Rousey said she and Carano were “smashing the record” for the most women have been paid in combat sports. The fight is scheduled for Saturday, May 16, at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions are staging the card as their first live MMA event. The 39-year-old Rousey has not fought in MMA since a loss to Amanda Nunes in 2016, while Carano has not competed since 2009. Most Valuable Promotions confirmed in February that the two would meet at 145 pounds over five five-minute rounds under the Unified Rules of MMA. The event will stream live on Netflix at 9 p.m. ET on May 16. (ca.sports.yahoo.com) ### What exactly did Rousey say about the money? BBC Sport reported that Rousey said, “me and Gina are smashing the record for the most women have been paid in combat sports,” while arguing that the biggest money fight is the biggest fight. The report said she made the comments as she criticized UFC fighter pay and promoted the Carano bout as a larger commercial moment for the sport. (espn.com) Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor were reportedly paid about $5 million for their trilogy boxing bout last year, BBC Sport said, offering the clearest public benchmark mentioned in the report. Rousey’s last reported UFC purse was $3 million, according to the same BBC account. No official purse figures for the Carano fight were announced in the report or in the event materials reviewed. (ca.sports.yahoo.com) ### Why is this fight getting attention after so many years? Rousey and Carano are two of the best-known names from different phases of women’s MMA growth. The Associated Press reported in February that Carano fought in the first Nevada-sanctioned women’s MMA bout in 2006 and that Rousey later became the UFC’s first women’s champion after helping push women’s MMA into the promotion’s lineup. (ca.sports.yahoo.com) ESPN reported that Rousey was the first woman signed by the UFC and still holds the promotion’s record for six consecutive women’s bantamweight title defenses. Carano’s eight-fight MMA career ended in 2009 after her loss to Cris Cyborg, according to the Associated Press report carried by NBC News. (nbcnews.com) ### How did Rousey link the bout to power inside MMA? BBC Sport reported that Rousey said the success of the fight could give MMA the competition the UFC needs and return bargaining power to fighters. The same report quoted her as saying she could become “the most powerful figure in the sport since Dana” White if she became the face of MVP and MMA. (espn.com) Those comments came as MVP used Rousey as the lead attraction for its first professional MMA card. BBC Sport said Rousey spoke both as a fighter and as a promoter during the final news conference, with former UFC fighters including Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz also appearing on the card. (ca.sports.yahoo.com) ### What has actually been announced for Saturday night? Netflix said on May 14 that the event would stream globally on May 16 from Intuit Dome in Los Angeles and would be included in all Netflix plans at no additional cost. The company listed Rousey-Carano as the main event, with Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry and Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins also on the card. (ca.sports.yahoo.com) Most Valuable Promotions told ESPN in February that the main event would be contested at featherweight, 145 pounds, inside a hexagon cage with four-ounce gloves. No championship belt, official disclosed purses or post-fight plans were announced in the materials reviewed. ### What comes next after Rousey’s comments? (netflix.com) Saturday, May 16, is the next concrete milestone for the story: Rousey and Carano are scheduled to fight live on Netflix from Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET. Any confirmation of the record purse claim is likely to depend on figures released by the fighters, the promoter or athletic regulators after the event. (netflix.com) (espn.com)