Ronda Rousey is not interested in a wrestling return.
The former WWE star surprised everyone with an appearance at the AEW Revolution PPV in March this year. With the former UFC Champion claiming that her appearance was a ‘fuck you’ to TKO and Tony Khan giving an open invitation to her for a return, the MMA veteran looked poised for a run with the promotion.
So it’s no wonder that she was asked about a potential AEW run during her recent interview with the Up & Adams Show. Ronda Rousey, however, gave an unexpected answer, indicating that she has no interest in going back on the road:
“No. That life of being on the road is probably more time-consuming than doing training camp at home. I had a great time but it just happened to be in town and my best friend was there, you know what I mean?”
Ronda Rousey had appeared on Revolution to confront Toni Storm, who defeated her longtime friend Marina Shafir in a singles match at the PPV. With the Timeless One going on an extended hiatus right after the show, however, it’s possible that any preliminary talks for a match between the two fell apart.
After the Gina Carano fight, the UFC legend had also indicated that she wanted to extend her family, which could be another reason for her hesitation towards going back on the road for a wrestling run.
Nikki Bella says Ronda Rousey’s physique and performance in her 17-second win over Gina Carano left her wanting more from her former WWE rival, despite Rousey announcing her retirement afterward.
Speaking to USA Today Sports, Bella reflected on the MVP MMA 1 main event.
“I think, you know, my initial response was like, wait, it’s done. But the one thing I will say is it left me wanting a lot more from Ronda. She looked incredible. I mean, she looked so amazing that I want to see her now on more fights. You know, I’m all about nostalgia. So no matter what it was, I love that those two women got into that octagon and did what they did. But I will say the shape that Ronda Rousey’s in, I mean, she’s a year postpartum. That’s incredible. I want to see more from her. I know, you know, as now she’s saying she’s going to have more babies and that was it. But she, even in those 17 seconds, Ronda looked like she didn’t miss a beat.”
Bella also praised Logan Paul’s contributions to WWE, referencing his back-and-forth with Tom Brady ahead of WrestleMania 42.
“I know everyone else got whatever by it, but I like Logan Paul a lot, and I think what he does for our industry is great, and so when I see stuff like that, I’m like, this is great. This is amazing. Like, you know, and it made me laugh because, you know, I am a diehard Eagles fan.”
Bella has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury in March. Paige stepped in to replace her in the Women’s Tag Team Title match at WrestleMania 42. She is hopeful to return in June and has expressed interest in appearing at Night of Champions.
Tony Khan says Ronda Rousey has a standing invitation to return to AEW whenever she wants it. The AEW president addressed the former UFC and WWE star’s future with the company on the Double or Nothing media call on Thursday, May 21.
Asked whether Rousey could have a run in AEW now that her MMA commitments are finished, Khan kept the door wide open. “I’ve enjoyed working with her in Ring of Honor and having her at AEW Revolution. Anytime she wants to come back to AEW, she’s welcome,” Khan said, calling Rousey a tremendous fighter and a good person to have around the promotion.
The catch is timing. Khan acknowledged that Rousey is focused on her family right now, which limits how involved she can be in wrestling. That lines up with what Rousey herself said after her MMA return on May 16, when she submitted Gina Carano in 17 seconds on Netflix and announced her retirement from the sport. “I want to have some more babies and I’ve got to get cooking,” Rousey told the crowd at the Intuit Dome.
The Revolution Appearance Was Aimed At TKO
Rousey is not signed to AEW. Her only appearance for the company came at March’s Revolution pay-per-view, when she emerged from the crowd to confront Toni Storm and back up her childhood friend Marina Shafir.
“It’s kind of a cool little bit of a f*ck you to the TKO Group. Which is kind of funny because WWE is on Netflix, but I kind of figured it’d be easier to ask for forgiveness instead of permission on this one,” Rousey said.
She saw no issue with it, noting the appearance promoted the show without being advertised.
No Clear Path Back Right Now
The confrontation with Storm was never followed up. Storm has been off AEW television since March and is expected to miss the rest of 2026, which removed the most obvious opponent for any Rousey program.
For now, Khan’s comments amount to an open offer rather than a plan. The welcome mat is out, but Rousey’s next move appears to be at home rather than in the ring.
TKO President Mark Shapiro says the UFC passed on the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight because the promotion viewed it as “a stunt rather than a meaningful MMA event,” and believed the matchup would be bad for the sport given the size of the Netflix audience.
“Netflix wants big spectacle events and they saw this as a big spectacle event. We’re in the true MMA business on a meaningful, consistent basis. When we looked at this potential matchup, keep in mind there’s a real art and skill to matchmaking. The answers we got back from Dana White and Hunter Campbell were that fight will be over in 20 seconds.”
Shapiro said his concern extended beyond the result itself to what it signals to new viewers.
“I don’t believe a fight like that, just the way it played out, is really good for MMA, especially because it’s Netflix and such an incredible global audience that is going to sample, depending on what comes up on the front page, to go to that fight and think that’s what MMA is. I don’t believe that is good for the sport long term. We saw it that way and decided to pass on it.”
He added that he did not want to diminish Rousey’s win or the viewership the broadcast drew.
Rousey submitted Carano in 17 seconds in the main event of MVP MMA 1 on Saturday night.
Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano returned to the cage tonight at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
Ronda Rousey was on the offense right off the bat and immediately took down Gina Carano. ‘Rowdy’ then transitioned into an armbar for the quick win in under 20 seconds.
— MVP – Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) May 17, 2026
It had been almost 17 years since Carano last competed in Strikeforce, and almost a decade for Rousey. However, both fighters were in great shape and came in well under the featherweight limit for their final battle.
Rousey had entered the fight with a 12-2 professional record, while Carano carried a 7-1 mark into her first fight since losing to Cris Cyborg in 2009.
Ronda Rousey ends her nearly decade-long MMA exile tonight, headlining the first-ever mixed martial arts event broadcast on Netflix against fellow women’s MMA pioneer Gina Carano. The card emanates from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, with the main card kicking off at 9 p.m. ET.
The featherweight bout is the centerpiece of MVP MMA 1, the inaugural fight card from Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian’s Most Valuable Promotions. Both women hit their marks at Friday’s weigh-ins, with Rousey scaling 142 pounds and Carano coming in at 141.4 pounds for the 145-pound contracted weight.
Live Coverage At MMA News
Our partner site MMA News is providing full coverage of MVP MMA 1 throughout Saturday night, including round-by-round results, post-fight reaction, and full analysis from the Intuit Dome. The main card streams live globally on Netflix at 9 p.m. ET, with prelims starting at 5 p.m. ET on the Tudum website.
A Direct Shot At TKO
The fight carries unmistakable subtext for wrestling and MMA fans alike. Rousey has spent her media tour torching TKO Group Holdings, the parent company that now houses both WWE and UFC, while making a clear point to separate her criticism from Dana White personally.
“I would want to make something abundantly clear and that’s that I owe Dana and the Fertittas immensely and I’d be caught dead before you ever heard me say a bad thing about any of them,” Rousey said at Friday’s pre-fight press conference, per MMAWeekly. “But my loyalty is to them and not the company they sold. And I do not owe TKO’s UFC a damn thing.”
Rousey said in March that UFC is “one of the worst places to go” for fighters, pointing to the promotion’s recent $7.7 billion Paramount+ media rights deal alongside what she described as poverty-level pay for many on the roster.
She has specifically targeted UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell rather than White, telling ESPN she believes White was overruled internally on the original plan to stage the Carano bout under the UFC banner.
The AEW Revolution Cameo
The most pointed shot came on March 15, when Rousey shocked fans by appearing at AEW Revolution to confront Toni Storm and align with her best friend Marina Shafir. In a follow-up vlog on her YouTube channel, Rousey openly called the appearance a “little bit of a f*ck you to the TKO group.”
“I figured it’d be easier to ask for forgiveness instead of permission on this one,” Rousey said. “Like, I’m promoting your show. It’s fine. We didn’t advertise it. It’s not like we boosted the ratings of it, so it should be fine.”
What’s At Stake Beyond The Main Event
MVP’s MMA debut represents the most credible direct challenge to UFC’s promotional model since Bellator’s peak years. Bidarian told Yahoo Sports the company is paying every fighter on Saturday’s card a minimum of $40,000, more than triple UFC’s typical introductory salary of $12,000 to show and $12,000 to win.
The triple main event is stacked beyond the headliner. Nate Diaz meets Mike Perry in a five-round welterweight bout, while former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou returns to MMA against 2018 PFL Heavyweight Tournament winner Philipe Lins. Bidarian has indicated MVP is targeting four to six MMA events per year starting in 2027 if Saturday’s debut delivers.
Rousey enters with a 12-2 professional record, while Carano carries a 7-1 mark into her first fight since losing to Cris Cyborg in 2009. The two pioneers of women’s MMA have been linked in fan debate for nearly two decades.
Ronda Rousey says she is fully aware of the impact she has had on women in combat sports and takes pride in what has followed, even as the broader culture has begun to forget how different things used to be.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated’s The Takedown ahead of her MMA return Saturday against Gina Carano at MVP MMA 1, Rousey reflected on her legacy.
“I’m very aware that women are headlining WWE because of me. That women are headlining and making big paydays in boxing because of me. In bare-knuckle boxing, in full-contact karate, in everything that’s a contact sport. I’m very, very proud of seeing all the success the women are having, because I was able to prove their commercial viability, and everyone’s trying to recapture that lightning in a bottle.”
Rousey acknowledged the full scope of those ripple effects may never be measurable, but said that was never the point.
“I’m so happy to see it. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully understand the scope of those ripple effects — nor anybody else — but that’s not why you do it. I’m very, very proud, and it’s very cool to see. I’m glad it’s got to the point that things are so different that people forget how it used to be. I’m not mad at that. I’m proud.”
Rousey was instrumental in opening the UFC to women’s competition and went on to become a six-time defending UFC bantamweight champion and one of the biggest pay-per-view draws in the company’s history. Her move to WWE helped elevate the profile of women’s wrestling, contributing to the first women’s main event at WrestleMania and the all-women’s WWE Evolution pay-per-view.
Ronda Rousey credited Paul Heyman with teaching her crucial media skills during her WWE tenure that she continues to use today. The former UFC champion discussed Heyman’s influence during a media scrum Thursday ahead of her fight with Gina Carano.
Rousey explained how Heyman’s guidance shaped her approach to press conferences and promotional work. When asked what aspects of her WWE experience she applies now, she pointed specifically to organizing her thoughts for media appearances.
“I don’t think in the training, but definitely in the preparation for press conferences and how I organize my thoughts. I learned so much from Paul Heyman, and he told me that no matter what you’re saying, always bring it around to the fight, you’re always trying to sell a fight, and always end on the best line,” Rousey stated.
Rousey’s WWE History With Heyman
Rousey worked closely with Heyman throughout her WWE runs. The Olympic bronze medalist first appeared for WWE at WrestleMania 31 in 2015 and made her formal debut three years later at the Royal Rumble.
After headlining WrestleMania 35 in 2019, she took a leave and had her first child. She returned at the Royal Rumble in January 2022 before eventually departing the company.
The full media scrum video is available below. Rousey’s fight with Carano is scheduled for this Saturday night on Netflix.
Ronda Rousey says professional wrestling was a key step in her return to MMA, crediting the experience with teaching her how to promote herself.
Speaking with Whistle ahead of her MMA return on Netflix, Rousey traced a through line from judo to MMA to acting to pro wrestling.
“I feel like MMA was a good segue because being purely an athlete was doing judo at the Olympics. You know, being an athlete that also has to entertain was in MMA and having to learn how to be on camera and stuff like that. I used to be petrified of public speaking. Then that was kind of like a good segue, and then I started acting more in action films and stuff like that where I could do fight choreography and things like that.”
She described pro wrestling as the purest form of that evolution.
“And that kind of segued me into pro wrestling, which I feel like is the purest form of fight choreography. It was a first step and it was an experiment and there was a lot of pressure. So now I’m returning back to MMA with everything that I learned from pro wrestling and how to promote and be a promoter. Because that’s basically what pro wrestling is. It’s just like playing into the fictional promotional part.”
Rousey’s MMA return takes place this weekend on Netflix.
Ronda Rousey is gearing up for her return to MMA competition and believes the event will have a transformative effect on the sport.
The former WWE star will face former Strikeforce fighter Gina Carano at an event backed by Most Valuable Promotions live on Netflix on May 16 from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California.
Speaking on Face 2 Face, Rousey compared the upcoming show to some of combat sports’ most iconic moments. She drew parallels to legendary figures and events that shaped the industry.
“I would have killed to see Mike Tyson live, I would have killed to see Muhammad Ali live. Would have killed to see UFC 1 live. I believe that this event is historic on that level,” Rousey said.
“It’s going to change the landscape of the entire sport forever. It’s going to be the best fight of me and Gina’s lives. I can’t speak for the other guys on the card, but this is the most stacked card I’ve ever seen. And this is the most I’ve seen anyone invest in one card.”
Rousey highlighted that the fight carries significance beyond personal competition. She positioned the event as a pivotal moment for the future of MMA.
“We’re not fighting just for ourselves, but for the future of the sport. What we does only matters because you watch, so we need you. We need you to be able to make the changes that we’re hoping to see happen. Hopefully you’re there. Hopefully you’re part of this because it’s incredible for us to be a part of and we want you to join us,” she stated.
Fans can watch the show live on Netflix when it airs on May 16.
Ronda Rousey has given one of her most candid assessments of her time in WWE, describing creative suffocation, last-minute chaos, and a working environment that only got worse during her second run.
Speaking with Complex News ahead of her May 16 MMA return against Gina Carano on Netflix, Rousey reflected on what it actually felt like to work under Vince McMahon’s leadership.
“I felt like I was doing somebody else’s impression of myself. You can tell when I was allowed to write my own promos and when I wasn’t. I really enjoyed my time in the ring. I didn’t really enjoy being under the death throes of Vince McMahon’s reign.”
She pointed to the gap between the preparation given to her debut match and the preparation afforded the historic WrestleMania main event as the clearest example of misplaced priorities in how McMahon’s operation functioned.
“We had no time at all to put it together. We spent a year promoting it and like a day and a half putting it together. My debut match, we spent six weeks putting it together and we had all the best minds in the industry coming and giving their two cents. The main event milestone itself was incredible. The match unfortunately wasn’t as great as it could have been if we were able to put the same kind of preparation into it that I felt like it deserved.”
Rousey and Becky Lynch headlined WrestleMania 35 in April 2019 alongside Charlotte Flair in the first women’s main event in the show’s history.
Her second WWE run, she said, was even more chaotic than the first, with McMahon’s declining grip on reality producing a backstage atmosphere that nobody could navigate effectively.
“Vince was just more far gone and more difficult to work with and there was a lot of inner turmoil going on in the company. It was kind of a shit show and nobody ever knew what was going on. You would get to the arena and be made to do something that somebody threw in your lap that hadn’t thought about it until 15 minutes before. Any attempt to collaborate felt like we were trying to negotiate something as opposed to partnering together to make something great.”
Rousey faces Carano on Netflix on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood in what she has described as her final MMA fight.
Ronda Rousey’s surprise appearance at AEW Revolution in March gave her something she said her WWE tenure rarely provided, and she did not hold back in explaining the difference.
Speaking with Complex News ahead of her May 16 MMA return against Gina Carano on Netflix, Rousey described the AEW stop as a natural, unfiltered experience that stood in direct contrast to the creative restrictions she felt throughout her time under Vince McMahon.
“It didn’t hurt to be a little catty with it. It was so serendipitous that Marina Shafir is my best friend. We grew up doing judo together when we were little kids. One thing I really love about AEW is that it’s not PG like WWE. So I can walk in there and flick everybody off and walk out and laugh with my best friend and have a great time and not feel as edited as before.”
Rousey and Shafir’s friendship stretches back to childhood judo training, predating both women’s combat sports careers. Shafir, an active AEW roster member, served as Rousey’s connection into Tony Khan’s promotion. The Revolution appearance in March at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles saw Rousey enter after Shafir’s match with Toni Storm, confront Storm at ringside, and leave through the crowd with her friend in what became one of the more surprising moments of the show.
Tony Khan addressed the appearance at the post-show media scrum, keeping the description casual and noting that Shafir simply brought her in as backup. Rousey has not signed with AEW and no follow-up appearance has been confirmed by the promotion.
Rousey faces Carano on Netflix on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood in what she has described as her final MMA fight.
Killer Kross is pushing back against criticism of Ronda Rousey’s wrestling career, saying his defense comes from direct personal experience rather than opinion.
The current MLW World Champion shared the roster with Rousey during her WWE tenure and addressed negative perceptions of her time in the company during an appearance on the Knockouts and 3 Counts podcast.
“I’m going to watch the fights. I’ve met both of them. I was on the road with WWE with Ronda. She was super cool. Student of the game. Always wanted to learn,” Kross said. “No matter what anybody’s preconceived notion is or they’re basing an opinion off of something that she said that’s like out of context or whatever, they have these negative opinions. I’ve been around her for real. She’s an awesome human being.”
Kross framed his comments as a way to correct what he sees as an unfair description of her personality based on secondhand impressions rather than firsthand experience with Rousey as a locker-room presence.
The comments come as Rousey prepares to return to MMA for the first time in nearly a decade. She is scheduled to fight Gina Carano on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, under the Most Valuable Promotions banner. Rousey recently made a surprise appearance at AEW Revolution in Los Angeles, her first involvement with professional wrestling since departing WWE following SummerSlam 2023.
UFC legend Ronda Rousey made a surprise appearance at AEW Revolution on March 15th, 2026, confronting Toni Storm to support her longtime friend Marina Shafir. In a new YouTube vlog, Rousey revealed the appearance carried a deeper meaning beyond friendship.
It has been reported that sources within TKO and WWE believe Rousey is motivated to oppose the companies. The appearance came as Rousey prepares for her MMA return against Gina Carano on May 16, 2026.
The appearance marked Rousey’s first full AEW pay-per-view after previously working Ring of Honor shows in November 2023. She described AEW as “a less restrictive, more adult version of WWE, which sounds like a good time.”
Secret Arrival and TKO Tensions
AEW kept Rousey’s presence backstage under wraps before her appearance. She compared the secrecy to WWE’s Royal Rumble protocols.
“I was brought into the arena in a very unique — I thought this was going to be much more chill like whatever kind of day, but they’re acting like it’s freaking Royal Rumble super secret whatever. But they had me jump into a wheelchair and throw a tarp over me and wheel me in here.”
Rousey characterized her appearance as “a little bit of a ‘f*ck you’ to the TKO group,” referencing WWE’s parent company that also owns UFC.
“I kind of figured it’d be easier to ask for forgiveness instead of permission on this one. Like, I’m promoting your show. It’s fine. We didn’t advertise it. It’s not like we boosted the ratings of it, so it should be fine,” she said.
The former WWE superstar had two separate stints with the company from 2018 through 2023. Following her exit, Rousey has openly criticized both WWE and TKO.
Rousey Praises Shafir’s Wrestling Career
Rousey expressed pride in Shafir’s transition from MMA to professional wrestling.
“Marina is my best friend in the whole wide world and we grew up doing judo together as little kids. We both quit judo and started doing MMA and then we both quit MMA and started doing pro wrestling. She’s absolutely crushing it and I’m so proud of her. I’m so happy that everybody’s finally starting to take notice of how incredibly special she is.”
Rousey’s AEW appearance is not expected to lead to additional bookings in the short term. Tony Khan stated Rousey invited him to her May 16th fight against Carano, which will air live on Netflix.
The former UFC Champion made a surprise appearance at the Revolution PPV last Sunday and teased a future match with Toni Storm. With the former AEW Women’s Champion having been written off TV on the following Dynamite, however, fans have been left questioning what will happen to this story.
Fightful Select provided an update on the matter recently. They suggested that Ronda Rousey is not signed to the company, and there is no confirmation of any additional appearances for her:
“When we asked AEW sources about Ronda Rousey’s status, nobody told us she was signed by the company. AEW hasn’t confirmed if she’s planned for additional appearances, but we’re told they’re open to it. A lot creatively changed for the immediate future with Toni Storm’s injury.”
The site also noted that the company does not have creative plans in place for Toni Storm’s return anytime soon, and her absence is believed to be for an indefinite amount of time.
With Storm out of the picture for the foreseeable future, it seems unlikely that the UFC legend will return to the company anytime soon. Though we are likely to get a better idea about Rousey’s wrestling future after her upcoming fight with Gina Carano in May.
Tony Khan says Ronda Rousey is always welcome in AEW.
The UFC legend made a surprise appearance at tonight’s Revolution PPV. She showed up after Toni Storm beat Rousey’s friend Marina Shafir in a singles match, and the distraction allowed Shafir to deliver a cheap shot to the former AEW Women’s Champion after the bell.
During the PPV post-show, Tony Khan was asked about Ronda Rousey’s status with the company. While the AEW President did not give a clear answer, he referenced Rousey’s ROH match from 2023 and claimed that she is always welcome in his company:
“Ronda Rousey is a huge star, so we have a great relationship with her. She’s wrestled for me before in ROH, and she’s always welcome here in AEW anytime. She’s got a big fight coming up against Gina Carano. I don’t know Gina Carano at all. Ronda’s always been very good to me. I wish her the best.”
The former WWE Women’s Champion is set to make her MMA return this May for a fight against Gina Carano. The match hosted by Jake Paul’s MVP promotions will be airing on Netflix. It’s unlikely that Rousey would be competing in a pro wrestling match before that.
Though AEW has also announced a No Holds Barred rematch between Storm and Shafir for this Wednesday’s Dynamite, so another appearance from the former UFC star is always possible.
Ronda Rousey made a stunning debut in All Elite Wrestling on Sunday night, entering the ring at AEW Revolution 2026 to confront ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.
The appearance came immediately following Storm’s victory over Marina Shafir in a match that lasted approximately nine minutes. Storm secured the win via rollup following a headbutt, after working through a physical back-and-forth that included three hip attacks in the corner and a Storm Zero.
.@RONDAROUSEY IS HERE AND CALLING OUT "TIMELESS" TONI STORM!
Shafir mounted a serious threat late with her Mother’s Milk submission hold, but Storm managed to escape by biting her opponent’s hand before rallying to finish the match.
Rousey and Storm Go Face-to-Face at Revolution
With Storm standing in the ring following the victory, Rousey’s music hit and the UFC Hall of Famer made her way to the ring, calling Storm back in for a face-to-face confrontation. Security and referees quickly stepped in to separate the two women — but Shafir seized the moment, blindsiding Storm with a sucker punch from behind as the chaos unfolded around them.
The segment immediately points toward a potential alliance between Rousey and Shafir in AEW. The two have an existing connection, having teamed together for three tag team matches in Ring of Honor in 2023, giving their partnership established credibility heading into whatever comes next. Shafir has made no secret of her support for Rousey, publicly expressing excitement for her friend’s upcoming return to competition.
Before any AEW program can fully develop, Rousey has a major commitment outside of wrestling. The former UFC champion is scheduled to return to MMA competition on May 16, facing Gina Carano at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California in a fight that will stream on Netflix.
The matchup has drawn attention from across combat sports. Amanda Serrano has publicly backed the fight, calling it a game-changer and firing back at those who have criticized the bout.
What Rousey’s AEW schedule looks like beyond the May 16 fight remains unclear, but her appearance at Revolution — and the unmistakable tension with Toni Storm — has set the stage for a compelling program whenever she’s ready to step back in the ring.
UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey is set to make her return to MMA on May 16th against Gina Carano at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Rousey’s longtime friend Marina Shafir has now expressed her excitement for Rousey’s return. The fight is promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and will be streamed on Netflix.
Shafir revealed she will be in attendance at the Intuit Dome to support Rousey. The fight is scheduled for five 5-minute rounds at 145 pounds, using 4-ounce gloves in a hexagon cage. A kickoff news conference was held on March 5th at the Intuit Dome.
Speaking on Busted Open, Shafir shared her enthusiastic support:
“Oh my God, I’m so excited for her. This is visceral for her. In a non-gay way, I have gotten really hard nipples for her. I’m just very excited for her because she has — you guys just have no f*cking idea what people go through, and for her to be doing the thing that she loves, so wholeheartedly and so passionately, I’m just so excited. I’m really f*cking excited to see what happens, what’s to come. I’m really excited to be there actually too so…”
Rousey vs. Carano
Ronda Rousey’s MMA record stands at 12-2. Gina Carano’s MMA record is 7-1. Rousey was the inaugural UFC women’s bantamweight champion and holds the record for six consecutive title defenses. She was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018.
WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff believes former WWE Women\’s Champion Ronda Rousey should have been booked as a heel during her time in WWE. Bischoff reckoned that WWE missed an opportunity by presenting her as a babyface.
Bischoff explained that Rousey\’s intensity and combat sports background made her a natural fit for a heel role. He added that Rousey never fully clicked with the WWE audience and seemed unmotivated, driven more by the payday than a genuine passion for professional wrestling.
\”Ronda is a natural heel. She should have never been positioned as a babyface in WWE.\” He argued that her background as a fighter made her more believable as an aggressive force. Bischoff also called Rousey overrated in professional wrestling.
Seth Rollins was not surprised by Ronda Rousey\’s WWE exit.
The former UFC star had two runs with WWE. The first one saw her joining the company as a full-time star in January 2018 and led to the WrestleMania 36 main event the next year. The second run started when she made a surprise return at the 2022 Royal Rumble and ended with her SummerSlam 2023 match with Shayna Baszler. The former Women\’s Champion has especially been critical of her second run in which she suffered multiple losses and was booked not as strongly.
During a recent interview with Club Shay Shay, Seth Rollins was asked if he was surprised that Ronda Rousey did not stay in the business longer. The Architect replied negatively, noting that at first everything was curated to make Rousey look strong:
\”No, not at all. It\’s hard. It\’s really hard. What they were asking Ronda to do is very difficult. The schedule was crazy still at that time. This is pre-COVID, she comes in. She comes in 2018-17, something like that. And at first, it\’s very easy. I don\’t mean this in a negative way, but everything\’s curated for her, so everything\’s choreographed, and she has one match every six months or something like that. It gets well-rehearsed and that\’s fun. You get to do wrestling that way, and that can be really fun, and that can be addicting for people, but that\’s not really what wrestling is. Wrestling is a bit of a grind.\”
Seth Rollins explained that in her second run, Ronda Rousey was asked to learn the grind of professional wrestling, which is much harder for anyone not used to it:
\”It used to be 5 times a week, but that\’s how you learn your craft, you know, but if you\’re not used to that and you\’re coming in… and it\’s not Ronda\’s fault. You\’re coming in and that\’s how you\’re presented, and then you have to work backwards, you have to work opposite of the way I did, where I came up doing all that and then I got to do the fun stuff at the end. That\’s easier because now it\’s like, \’Oh wow, wait, you\’re telling me I only have to wrestle 50 times a year? Easy. I used to do 250.\’ So this is nothing. When you go the other way, that is a really hard thing to do.\”
The former World Champion also mentioned that Rousey had aspirations to start a family, which is a very difficult thing to do on the WWE schedule.
Ronda Rousey has revealed how her fight with Gina Carano came together.
The former UFC Champion confirmed her return to the Octagon for the first time since December 2016 this week. Her return fight with Carano has been announced at 145 pounds, taking place on May 16 from Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
The former WWE star spoke to ESPN MMA for an interview after the announcement, providing some details of the upcoming fight. Explaining where the idea came from, Ronda Rousey recalled watching a video of Gina Carano during her time off from combat sports. The UFC Hall of Famer who has always spoken highly of Carano, said that she wanted to uplift the fellow MMA legend:
“I was nine months pregnant and I saw a video of Gina Carano giving an interview and she didn’t look good. She gained like an unhealthy amount of weight. And my first thought was like, ‘Oh my God, what can I do? What can I do to help?’ And the reason why I had that thought was because she’s the one woman not only in MMA that doesn’t owe me a damn thing, but that I owe immensely,”
The event that is set to be streamed on Netflix is interestingly being promoted by Jake Paul\’s Most Valuable Promotions instead of UFC. During the talk, Ronda Rousey revealed that she had actually contacted Dana White but they couldn\’t reach a deal:
“I reached out to Dana and asked him if he would be interested in it. And it didn’t exactly work out with the UFC, but it led us to here today,\”
The timing of this event has also been a topic of discussion, as UFC is set to hold its White House event less than a month later on June 14, 2026.
The former three-time WWE champion and UFC Hall of Famer will return to mixed martial arts on May 16 to face women\’s MMA pioneer Gina Carano at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The fight was confirmed Tuesday by Jake Paul\’s Most Valuable Promotions and will stream live on Netflix.
Rousey (12-2) hasn\’t competed in MMA since her knockout loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in December 2016. After stepping away from the octagon, she joined WWE in 2018 and became one of the company\’s top stars, capturing three world championships before departing in 2022. She was also the first American woman to medal in Olympic judo (2008) and still holds the UFC record for most consecutive women\’s bantamweight title defenses with six.
The bout against Carano (7-1) will take place at 145 pounds under the Unified Rules of MMA, contested over five rounds inside a hexagon cage. Carano, 43, last fought in 2009 and is widely regarded as a trailblazer for women in the sport. She later transitioned to acting with roles in Haywire, Fast & Furious 6, Deadpool, and The Mandalorian.
\”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 said in a statement to ESPN.
A press conference is scheduled for March 5 at Intuit Dome, with more fights to be added to the card.
The Bella Twins believe Ronda Rousey would \”dominate\” if she mounted a comeback to the world of UFC and mixed martial arts.
Nikki Bella, who faced Rousey at WWE Evolution 2018, called her an insane athlete. The Twins both emphasized Rousey\’s skills remain sharp and predicted success in a hypothetical comeback.
During their interview with ClockednLoaded, Nikki highlighted how motherhood adds a new dynamic to the fighting spirit.
\”She is an insane athlete, now you\’re getting mama Ronda. You know when we turn into moms, there\’s something different about us.\”
Nikki Bella on Ronda Rousey
Brie Bella echoed her sister\’s sentiments, stating Rousey would \’crush it\’ in MMA. The \”Baddest Woman on the Planet\” has not competed in MMA since 2016, but remains a topic of return speculation.
Ronda Rousey’s recent training videos shared on social media have certainly stirred up speculation about a possible return to the Octagon. We shall see.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is in active negotiations for a boxing match against Ireland\’s Katie Taylor, according to a report from BoxingScene’s Lance Pugmire.
The bout is being targeted for Las Vegas in summer 2026, matching two of the most accomplished women\’s combat sports athletes of this century. Taylor, who holds a 25-1 record with six knockouts, is Ireland\’s two-time undisputed boxing champion and Olympic gold medalist. She has defeated Amanda Serrano three times, most recently in July with a victory that generated six million streams on Netflix.
Rousey, 38, reigned as UFC women\’s bantamweight champion from 2012 to 2015 before suffering knockout losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. She retired from MMA in late 2016 and subsequently performed in WWE before retiring from professional wrestling earlier this year. Recent training videos posted by Rousey have sparked speculation about a potential return to combat sports.
The report indicates Netflix, which broadcast Taylor\’s recent fights with Serrano, is interested in the potential matchup. The fight is being pursued as its own main event given the success of Taylor-Serrano as a headline attraction.
While Rousey won many of her UFC bouts by submission, she received boxing training from coach Edmond Tarverdyan during her fighting career, with her stand-up game developing in her final UFC appearances.
Taylor, who is being honored this week at the WBC Convention in Bangkok, Thailand, has also claimed majority decision victories over former super-lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron and Delfine Persoon. When asked about her next opponent, Taylor told BoxingScene, \”I\’m ready to fight whenever, really, and take on whatever challenge comes next. Any of the big names, any of the big fights – I\’m ready to take on them all.\”
