It’s Out Of Dana [White’s] Hands

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are returning to MMA to headline Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Netflix’s first mixed martial arts event on the streaming platform.

Many have questioned why Rousey isn’t returning to UFC, especially as it was there that the Baddest Woman on the Planet put women’s MMA on the map. In her last bout for the promotion in 2016, she lost to Amanda Nunes after losing her title and undefeated streak to Holly Holm the year before. A triumphant return to UFC a decade on would obviously be huge for all involved. 

In a new interview, Rousey confirmed that she did approach UFC President Dana White about stepping back into the Octagon. However, UFC’s move away from PPVs to its events streaming on Paramount+ proved problematic.

“Dana’s now legally obligated to maximise shareholder revenue,” Rousey said. “It’s not just about proving the concept of fighting and putting on the best fights possible and proving that this is a sport to be taken seriously. I think now that they’ve sold the company, it’s kind of out of Dana’s hands, unfortunately.” 

“How do I put it? They didn’t want to set a precedent of giving me the guaranteed money that I deserve because once I raise that tide, it lifts all the boats,” she continued. “They just made a $7.7 billion deal at Paramount, so it’s in their best interest actually not to put on the best fights possible but to spend as little money as possible so they can keep it.”

UFC’s seven-year $7.7 billion domestic media rights agreement with Paramount means that all the company’s events are now exclusive to Paramount+. Rousey’s point is that with a fixed amount of money on the table, UFC is no longer willing to pay higher money to fighters like her, because her presence wouldn’t increase PPV buys (and revenue).

If the fight goes well, it will obviously be hugely beneficial to MVP and Netflix as they look to establish a legitimate rival to UFC. 

Rousey, a former UFC Champion and Olympic medalist (12-2, 9 submissions, 3 KOs), returns to MMA for the first time in nearly a decade to fight the controversial former star of The Mandalorian.

Carano (7-1, 1 submission, 3 KOs) was fired following comments she made comparing being a Republican in the U.S. to being a Jew during the Holocaust. However, after arguing that she was wrongly fired, she settled her lawsuit with Disney last year, marking a rare victory for the actress after her career fell apart.

The fight takes place on May 16, marking Netflix’s first-ever live MMA broadcast and MVP’s inaugural MMA event. This isn’t the UFC, meaning the confrontation will be contested inside a hexagon cage, not the Octagon. Rousey vs. Carano will be contested as a featherweight bout at 145 pounds.

Before the right, Rousey and Carano meet face-to-face at the Rousey vs. Carano Kickoff Press Conference on Thursday, March 5, at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.