Netflix is entering the live sports arena with a high-profile mixed martial arts (MMA) event, headlined by a bout between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. The event, scheduled for May 16, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, marks Netflix’s first foray into live MMA broadcasting, following a successful 2024 livestream featuring Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson, which the streaming service touted as its most-streamed sporting event to date.
The announcement, made February 17, 2026, brings both fighters out of retirement. Carano has not competed in MMA since 2009, while Rousey’s last fight was in 2016. The fight will be contested under Unified Rules of MMA, with five five-minute rounds. A press conference promoting the event is slated for March 5, 2026, at the Intuit Dome, with tickets going on sale the same day at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET.
“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,” Carano stated. “She thanked me for opening up doors for her in her career and was respectful in asking for this fight to happen. This is an honor. 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 We see for the fans and mixed martial arts community. What a time to be alive.”
Both Rousey and Carano bring significant, and sometimes controversial, histories to the matchup. Rousey, a former UFC champion, has remained a public figure through appearances in WWE, video games – including the Mortal Kombat franchise as Sonya Blade – and film, notably a cameo in Furious 7. She faced public criticism in 2013 for a since-deleted social media post concerning the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, and later issued a lengthy apology in 2024, eleven years after the initial controversy.
Carano’s career path diverged after leaving professional fighting in 2009, leading to roles in films such as Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Heist (2015), and Deadpool (2016). She gained wider recognition playing Cara Dune in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, but was subsequently fired by Lucasfilm following a social media post in 2021 that drew comparisons between the persecution of Jewish people in Nazi Germany and the experience of being a Republican. Carano then pursued legal action against Disney, alleging discrimination and wrongful termination, a dispute that was settled in August 2025 with funding from Elon Musk. She previously worked with The Daily Wire on the 2022 film Terror on the Prairie.
The event is a collaboration between Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), Jake Paul’s sports and entertainment company.
