Ronda Rousey Says UFC Was Not Interested in Fight With Gina Carano

Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano pitched their fight to the UFC before Netflix, but the promotion company wasn’t interested.

Rousey appeared on SportsCenter Tuesday and referenced conversations she had with the UFC. 

“I reached out to Dana and asked him if he would be interested in it,” Rousey said. “It didn’t exactly work out with the UFC, but it led us here today.”

One reason the UFC may have opted against pursuing the fight is due to both fighters needing to undergo extensive medical testing before the bout is officially sanctioned. California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster told ESPN that both fighters will undergo more medical and neurological testing than what is required. Rousey, 39, suffered numerous concussions during her fighting career, while Carano is 43 and hasn’t fought since 2009. 

It’s not unusual for athletic commissions to require additional medical testing or impose restrictions for older or inactive fighters. In order for Mike Tyson to fight Jake Paul in 2024, the Texas commission said the pair must use 14-ounce gloves and two-minute rounds, both very uncommon for professional bouts. 

The fight, on May 16, is the first live MMA event on Netflix, continuing a trend of combat sports being broadcast on streaming platforms. The UFC debuted on Paramount+ in January, with UFC 324 drawing an average of 4.96 million viewers. Rousey is confident her fight with Carano can exceed that number. 

“This rivalry has so many layers – Netflix isn’t playing around – bet you we can beat Paramount+ UFC numbers,” Rousey said in a post on X. 

Many fighters weighed in on the fight, including Sean Strickland, who is fighting in the main event of the UFC’s Fight Night event on Feb. 21. “Ronda Rousey’s gonna steamroll her,” Strickland told Newsweek. “We’re just gonna watch two middle-aged women going through menopause fight each other. Who gives a fuck?”

The UFC could not immediately be reached for comment.