Netflix Enters the MMA Scene with Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano Fight

Netflix is entering the mixed martial arts (MMA) arena with an upcoming fight featuring two of the sport’s most prominent female athletes.

On May 16, Ronda Rousey will face Gina Carano at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. This event will mark Netflix’s inaugural live MMA broadcast.

The announcement comes as the streaming giant navigates competitive dynamics, particularly its pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery amidst competition from David Ellison’s Paramount, which holds U.S. rights to UFC broadcasts.

Rousey, a trailblazer in the sport, became the first American woman to earn an Olympic medal in judo before transitioning to MMA in 2011. She was the first female fighter signed by the UFC and became a dominant figure until her retirement in 2016, after which she joined World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Rousey has also appeared in several films, including The Expendables 3 and Furious 7.

Similarly, Carano began her career in Muay Thai before carving her niche in MMA, where she achieved notable success with seven victories before retiring following a loss to Cris Cyborg. Transitioning to acting, she starred in Haywire and played significant roles in Deadpool and Fast & Furious 6. Carano is widely recognized for her portrayal of Cara Dune in The Mandalorian, although she was dismissed from the series in 2021 due to controversial social media posts, later filing a lawsuit against Disney that concluded with a settlement.

A clash between Rousey and Carano has long been regarded as one of MMA’s greatest missed opportunities. Discussions about a potential fight in 2014 fell apart due to various factors, including scheduling and weight-class discrepancies.

The upcoming match will be officially sanctioned under the Unified Rules of MMA and will consist of five rounds, each lasting five minutes, held within a hexagonal cage. Additionally, it represents the first MMA event for Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), which has previously hosted boxing events on Netflix, including a high-profile match between Paul and Mike Tyson.

Tickets for the event will be available starting March 5.

“I’ve been waiting so long to announce this: Me and Gina Carano are gonna throw down in the biggest super fight in women’s combat sport history,” Rousey commented. “We’re partnering with the fighter-first promotion MVP and the biggest and baddest streamer on the planet, Netflix. This is for all MMA fans—past, present, and future.”

Carano reflected on the significance of the fight, stating, “Ronda came to me and said there’s only one person she would make a comeback for, and it has been her dream to make this fight happen between us. 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 the mixed martial arts community. What a time to be alive.”

Gabe Spitzer, Netflix’s Vice President of Sports, expressed enthusiasm for the event, stating, “After the record-breaking success in boxing, we wanted our first MMA event to be truly legendary. We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with MVP and bring together Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano to deliver the kind of high-stakes, icon-driven competition that our members crave.”

Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of MVP, emphasized the significance of this fight, remarking, “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.”