Ronda Rousey calls Gina Carano comeback fight biggest in MMA history

Ronda Rousey has described her upcoming comeback fight against Gina Carano as the most significant bout in mixed martial arts history, calling it a defining moment for the sport’s development.

The former UFC champion said the contest represents a once-in-a-lifetime occasion that could mark the start of a new era of global interest in MMA.

"This is not just the biggest women's fight of all time ... This is something that's going to happen once in a lifetime in MMA, is the beginning of something huge," Rousey told a press conference on Wednesday.

Rousey, an Olympic bronze medallist in judo at the 2008 Beijing Games and the first woman inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, previously dominated the bantamweight division with six successful title defences before suffering defeat to Holly Holm in 2015.

She rejected suggestions that the fight is motivated by nostalgia or commercial gain, highlighting the huge audience generated by the 2024 boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, which reportedly attracted more than 100 million viewers on streaming platforms worldwide.

The bout, promoted by MVP, will be the organisation’s first MMA event and will be streamed live on Netflix on 16 May.

Rousey also responded strongly to criticism from UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison, who had questioned her relevance in the sport.

Gina Carano, who has not competed since 2009, said she is approaching her return with calm excitement rather than nerves, describing a renewed sense of purpose ahead of the fight.

The undercard will feature Francis Ngannou against Philipe Lins, while Nate Diaz takes on Mike Perry in a welterweight clash.