Gina Carano is returning to Netflix, not as an actress, but as a competitor in what’s being called “the biggest super match in women’s combat sport history.”
According to sources, Netflix announced on Tuesday that Carano will face off against former UFC champion Ronda Rousey in a professional MMA bout on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
Carano was previously terminated from her role in The Mandalorian exactly five years and one week before this announcement. Her departure from the Disney+ series followed controversy over her social media posts, leading to a legal battle with Disney and Lucasfilm that eventually reached a settlement.
Now, Netflix is bringing her back into the spotlight for an iconic MMA match.
For Rousey, this represents her first MMA competition in a decade. Her professional record stands at 12-2, with nine victories by submission and three by knockout.
Carano hasn’t competed in MMA since 2009. She has a record of 7-1, with an earlier Muay Thai record of 12-1- 1.
“Been waiting so long to announce this: Me and Gina Carano are gonna throw down in the biggest super fig ht in women’s combat sport history!” Rousey wrote in a social media post. “This is for all MMA fans past, present and future. More to come… much more.”
Carano has also spoken about how this matchup came to be. “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,” she explained.
Carano said, “She thanked me for opening up doors for her in her career and was respectful in asking for this match to happen. This is an honor. I believe I will walk out of this 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 mixed martial arts community. What a time to be alive.”
The event represents Netflix’s first venture into MMA programming and marks the first time Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions has promoted a mixed martial arts event. The bout will be professionally sanctioned under the Unified Rules of MMA, with both competitors facing off as featherweights at 145 lbs. The competition will take place inside a hexagonal cage (rather than the UFC’s traditional octagon) over five five-minute rounds as necessary, using four-ounce gloves.
Gabe Spitzer, Netflix vice president of sports, emphasized the significance of this matchup for the platform’s expanding sports portfolio.
“After the record-breaking success in boxing, we wanted our first MMA event to be truly legendary,” he said. “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. These are more than just athletes, they are generational stars, and having them headline our MMA debut at the Intuit Dome is a defining moment for us.”
