Ronda Rousey to Return: Super-Fight With gina carano Set for May 16 at Intuit Dome
Ronda Rousey will come out of retirement to face longtime rival-turned-icon Gina Carano in what promoters are billing as a generational super-fight. The bout is scheduled for May 16 (ET) at the 18, 000-seat Intuit Dome in California and will be staged as a five-round contest at 145lb.
Matchup resurrects a dream fight between two pioneers
The announcement reunites two of the most influential figures in the history of women's mixed martial arts. Rousey, 39, and Carano, 43, both helped enlarge the sport's mainstream profile in the 2000s and early 2010s, and the pairing has long been discussed as the matchup that never happened in their competitive primes.
Rousey, who built a reputation as one of the most dominant fighters of her era, brings a 12-2 professional record into the contest. She is an Olympic bronze medallist in judo and parlayed her combat-sports fame into a subsequent career in sports-entertainment. After an unbeaten run that defined her early career, she lost the UFC bantamweight title in a major upset and then suffered another defeat in a comeback bout before stepping away from the cage at 29. Rousey has previously said concussion issues played a role in her retirement.
Carano, who stepped away from competition earlier and later pursued acting, holds a 7-1 record. Her lone loss came in 2009 against Cris Cyborg. For many fans, the Rousey–Carano matchup represents a closing of a circle — a chance to finally settle what might have been when both were at their peaks.
What both fighters are saying and what’s at stake
Rousey framed the return as a personal mission. "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, " she said, signalling how much the bout means to her on a professional and symbolic level.
Carano described the request for the fight as respectful and framed the meeting as an honour. "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, " Carano said. "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. "
Beyond the personal narratives, the fight raises broader questions about ring rust, physical readiness, and how two veterans with long layoffs will adapt to a high-profile, five-round format. At 145lb, the contest is set at a weight that will test both competitors' conditioning and strategic adjustments after years away from top-level MMA competition.
Event context and expectations
The fight will take place at the Intuit Dome in California, a venue that can host roughly 18, 000 spectators. Organisers are positioning the bout as a landmark event for women's combat sports and a major live-streamed attraction. For fans and casual observers alike, the matchup promises a blend of nostalgia, narrative weight, and the unpredictable dynamics that come with veteran fighters returning to the cage.
How each athlete performs on fight night will likely shape the narrative around their legacies. A decisive win for either would cement that fighter’s place in the sport’s modern history; a competitive, hard-fought clash could serve as a showcase for how pioneers helped build the current landscape of women's MMA. With both athletes vocal about what the fight means to them, the lead-up will be closely watched by long-time supporters of the sport and newcomers drawn by the spectacle.
Expect build-up coverage, training camp updates, and commentary on physical preparation as the May 16 (ET) date approaches. For now, the announcement has reignited debate and anticipation about one of the most talked-about matchups in women's combat sport history.
