Ronda Rousey is set to make a dramatic return to mixed martial arts, nearly a decade after her last appearance in the UFC.
The former bantamweight champion will face fellow MMA pioneer Gina Carano on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. The bout will mark Rousey’s first MMA contest since 2016.
Rousey was a trailblazer during her UFC career, becoming the promotion’s first women’s bantamweight champion and one of its most dominant stars. She was later inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame and went on to achieve mainstream success in professional wrestling, helping elevate WWE’s women’s division to historic prominence.
Her comeback bout against Carano will take place at 145lbs and will be contested over five five-minute rounds under the unified rules of MMA, using 4oz gloves inside a hexagon cage.
The event will also mark the first MMA promotion staged by Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), the combat sports company co-founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian. MVP has previously focused on boxing events.
Announcing the fight, Rousey described it as a landmark moment for the sport. “This is for all MMA fans past, present and future. More to come… much more,” she said.
Carano, widely regarded as one of the early faces of women’s MMA, said she felt honoured to take part in the bout, revealing that Rousey personally approached her about making the fight happen.
Promoters said the contest brings together two of the most influential figures in women’s mixed martial arts, framing it as a defining moment for the sport’s continued growth.
The May 16 showdown is expected to draw global attention as Rousey attempts to reassert herself in the cage against one of the sport’s original stars.
