NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 15: Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano attend Rousey vs. Carano NYC Press Conference at The Palladium on April 15, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix)
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The return of two of the biggest names in women’s MMA history is nearly upon us. On Saturday, May 16, former UFC champion Ronda Rousey and one-time Strikeforce title challenger Gina Carano return to the cage in the main event of the MVP MMA 1 fight card.
Also on the Jake Paul-promoted fight card are matchups between former UFC fighters Nate Diaz and Mike Perry, as well as a matchup between former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and Philipe Lins. Another former UFC heavyweight champ, Junior dos Santos, also appears on the card. Dos Santos battles Robelis Despaigne.
The Rousey vs. Carano main card streams on Netflix, while the preliminary card streams on Tudum and the MVP YouTube page.
MVP MMA 1 Main Card
Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano
Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry
Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins
Salahdine Parnasse vs. Kenneth Cross
Junior dos Santos vs. Robelis Despaigne
MVP MMA 1 Preliminary Card
Namo Fazil vs. Jake Bobian
Adriano Moraes vs. Phumi Nkuta
Jason Jackson vs. Jefferson Creighton
David Mgoyan vs. Albert Morales
Aline Pereira vs. Jade Masson-Wong
Chris Avila vs. Brandon Jenkins
Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 15: Ronda Rousey speaks onstage at Rousey vs. Carano NYC Press Conference at The Palladium on April 15, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix)
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Saturday’s fight marks the first MMA bout for Rousey since her UFC run ended with back-to-back knockout losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes in 2015 and 2016.
Prior to those contests, Rousey was the most dominant fighter in women’s MMA. She opened her career with six armbar submission wins, winning and defending the Strikeforce women’s bantamweight title before the UFC bought that organization.
Rousey was named the UFC women’s champion in 2012. Her first defense of that crown was a 2013 submission win over Liz Carmouche at UFC 157. She won that contest by armbar.
Over the next two years, Rousey would defeat Miesha Tate (armbar), Sara McMann (TKO), Alexis Davis (KO), Cat Zingano (armbar), and Beth Correia (KO) before losing to Holm (KO) and then Nunes (KO).
Rousey was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018, becoming the first female inductee.
Following her run with the UFC, Rousey went on to the WWE, where she would win the Raw Women’s Championship, the SmackDown Women’s Championship, and the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. Rousey also participated in the first women’s match to headline WrestleMania.
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 15: Gina Carano speaks at the Rousey vs. Carano NYC Press Conference at The Palladium on April 15, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix)
Getty Images for Netflix
Carano began her MMA career in 2006. A striker by trade, Carano went 7-0 to open her career, picking up wins over fighters like Julie Kedzie and Tonya Evinger. In 2009, Carano fought Cris Cyborg for that promotion’s inaugural title. Cyborg won the contest via TKO at 4:59 of the first round.
After the Cyborg fight, Carano shifted her focus to acting, appearing in several projects, including The Mandalorian.
We will have more on the Rousey vs. Carano fight card as fight night nears.