Rousey vs. Carano on Netflix

Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are set to fight in mixed martial arts on May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, with Netflix carrying the card live worldwide. (netflix.com) Netflix’s Tudum site says the bout is a five-round featherweight fight at 145 pounds, and it lists Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry and Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins on the same card. (netflix.com) The event is being promoted by Most Valuable Promotions, the company co-founded by Jake Paul, and Netflix says it will be the platform’s first live mixed martial arts broadcast. (netflix.com) Rousey, 39, has not fought in mixed martial arts since Amanda Nunes stopped her 48 seconds into the first round at UFC 207 on December 30, 2016. (ufc.com) (espn.com) Carano, 43, has not fought since Cris Cyborg stopped her in the first round on August 15, 2009, in the Strikeforce bout that became the first major mixed martial arts event headlined by women. (espn.com) (mmajunkie.usatoday.com) The matchup joins two fighters who shaped different stages of women’s mixed martial arts. Yahoo Sports reported that Carano was the sport’s biggest female star before Rousey, and that Rousey later became the central figure in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s launch of women’s divisions. (sports.yahoo.com) Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions are also leaning on the audience they built with boxing. Netflix said 60 million households watched Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson live on November 15, 2024, with 65 million concurrent streams at the peak. (about.netflix.com) (espn.com) The fight has been discussed for years without happening. Yahoo Sports reported that the Ultimate Fighting Championship tried in 2014 to make Rousey vs. Carano, but Carano did not return then, and both fighters only began publicly teasing training again in late 2025. (sports.yahoo.com) For now, the concrete date is May 16, 2026, and the concrete question is whether two stars returning from layoffs of nearly 10 years and nearly 17 years can still carry a live global card on Netflix. (netflix.com) (ufc.com) (espn.com)