Ronda Rousey announces shock return to mixed martial arts: 'This is for all MMA fans past, present and future'
Ronda Rousey will have her first mixed martial arts bout in a decade when she fights Gina Carano on May 16 in Los Angeles; "This is for all MMA fans past, present and future. More to come… much more," Rousey said; The event will be the first MMA bout staged by Jake Paul's MVP
Last Updated: 17/02/26 4:25pm
Ronda Rousey will make a shock return to mixed martial arts later this year.
It has been almost a decade since Rousey last competed in the UFC, but she will have her first MMA bout since 2016 when she fights Gina Carano on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
Rousey is a trailblazing mixed martial artist, with a record-setting career as the UFC's first and most dominant female fighter and bantamweight champion.
- Buy tickets for Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper
- Natasha Jonas: Caroline Dubois has got under Terri Harper's skin
- Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW
She was the first woman inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame and catapulted the women's WWE division towards its first WrestleMania main event in history.
Her return to the sport sees her fight Carano at 145lbs.
This event, the first MMA bout staged by Most Valuable Promotions, will be professionally sanctioned under the unified rules of MMA and contested over five five-minute rounds using 4oz gloves, inside a hexagon cage.
"Been waiting so long to announce this: me and Gina Carano are going to throw down in the biggest super-fight in women's combat sport history," Rousey said.
"This is for all MMA fans past, present and future. More to come… much more."
Carano said: "Ronda came to me and said there is only one person she would make a comeback for and it has been her dream to make this fight happen between us.
"She thanked me for opening up doors for her in her career and was respectful in asking for this fight to happen. This is an honour. I believe I will walk out of this fight with the win and I anticipate it will not come easy, which I welcome.
"This is as much for Ronda and me as it is for the fans and mixed martial arts community. What a time to be alive."
Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, the co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions said: "MVP has always been driven by disruption and delivering the biggest moments in combat sports on a global scale, and today we are officially bringing that energy to MMA for the first time.
"MVP's conviction in women's boxing was driven by the success achieved by Ronda Rousey, who was the biggest star of the entire sport of MMA during her career.
"Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are the two most formative figures in the history of women's MMA; they are the icons who shattered the glass ceiling and helped build the foundation this sport stands on."
Watch Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper live on Sky Sports on Sunday April 5. Tickets available here
