Ronda Rousey to return for superfight with gina carano on May 16
Ronda Rousey will end a decade-long MMA retirement to face gina carano in a headline fight set for May 16, 2026 (ET) at the Intuit Dome in California. The bout is being billed as a landmark event for women's combat sport and will be presented live on a major streaming service.
Historic comeback and the matchup fans have wanted
The announcement reunites two of women's mixed martial arts' most influential figures. Rousey, 39, the Olympic judo medalist who helped push women's competition into the sport's mainstream, has not competed in MMA since her last professional bout more than a decade ago. She said the contest is the only comeback that would draw her back into the cage, describing the opportunity in emphatic terms.
gina carano, now 43, retired from active competition after a storied early career that helped establish the women's game. The pair were once the dream matchup for fans and promoters, and the new fight finally makes that long-teased contest official. Carano has told media she was approached by Rousey and that the offer was an honour; she has predicted a victory but warned the fight will not be easy.
Fight details, records and what to expect
The contest will be scheduled for five rounds at 145 pounds (featherweight). Official teams list Rousey's professional record at 12-2 and Carano's at 7-1, with Carano's lone loss occurring in 2009. The format — five rounds at featherweight — signals both the intensity expected and the desire to give the matchup a championship-calibre framework.
Rousey's athletic résumé stretches beyond MMA: an Olympic bronze medal in judo and a later stint in professional wrestling are part of her public legacy. She has also spoken in recent years about the concussion issues that influenced her original decision to retire, making this return notable on multiple levels. Carano transitioned into acting after leaving the sport and has maintained a presence in combat training circles, with coaching staff noting in recent months that she had returned to the gym to test her readiness.
Analysts will be watching conditioning, takedown defence and cardio — areas that often determine five-round fights, especially when facing opponents from different athletic backgrounds. With both fighters having long gaps from top-level MMA competition, camp preparation and ring rust will be central talking points in the lead-up.
Promotion, venue and the event's wider significance
The Intuit Dome, a new 18, 000-seat arena in California, is slated to host the event, underscoring expectations for a large live crowd. Promoters have framed the show as a watershed moment for women's combat sports, not just for the marquee pairing but for the platform on which it will be presented—marked as the first live MMA event on a major streaming service.
Beyond the bout itself, the fight carries commercial and cultural weight. Both athletes helped expand opportunities for women in combat sports: one by breaking competitive barriers and the other by raising the sport's profile in its early broadcast era. Their meeting will be measured for athletic merit and impact on audience growth, sponsorship interest, and how promotions approach high-profile, legacy-driven matchups moving forward.
More details on undercard lineups, exact broadcast times in Eastern Time and ticket availability are expected in the coming weeks as both camps finalise preparations. For long-time fans, the clash answers a decades-old question; for newer viewers, it promises a historic headline event built on the sport's early trailblazers returning to settle unfinished business in the cage.
