A mixed martial arts fight between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano is planned, but not under the banner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The bout is being organized by WWE, according to reports from Fightful and other news outlets.
The announcement comes as Rousey, a former UFC champion and WWE superstar, has publicly expressed a desire to return to fighting, specifically against Carano. Rousey recently revealed she contacted UFC President Dana White and the organization about a potential fight with Carano, but those discussions did not materialize into a UFC-sanctioned event.
“I’ve been trying to develop that fight happen for years,” Rousey said, as reported by Fightful. “I reached out to Dana [White] and UFC about it. I don’t know why they wouldn’t make it.”
Carano, a former Strikeforce champion and actress, has not competed in MMA since 2009. Rousey’s last professional MMA fight was in 2016. Both fighters were pivotal figures in the early rise of women’s mixed martial arts.
The fight is being promoted as a “WWE In A Box” event, suggesting a contained, potentially smaller-scale production compared to a traditional UFC pay-per-view. Details regarding the location, date, and ruleset for the fight have not yet been released.
News of the fight coincides with Rousey’s reflections on her legacy and perceived lack of credit for her contributions to the sport. In a recent interview with Yahoo Sports, Rousey stated, “People forget extremely quickly.”
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, led by Dave Meltzer, first reported on the fight announcement, alongside updates on upcoming WWE events like Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania 42, as well as AEW’s Grand Slam Australia and Revolution. Meltzer also included an obituary for The Great Mephisto with additional information.
