Netflix has officially entered the mixed martial arts arena with a blockbuster announcement: former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and pioneering fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano will face off in a highly anticipated featherweight superfight on May 16, 2026, live from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The event, promoted by Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) in partnership with Netflix, marks the streaming giant’s first-ever live MMA broadcast.
The five-round bout at 145 pounds will stream globally to Netflix’s more than 300 million subscribers at no additional cost, positioning it as one of the most accessible major combat sports events in history.
Industry sources close to the negotiations reveal that both fighters stand to earn substantial paydays for their returns to the cage after long retirements—Rousey since 2016 and Carano since 2009.
Rousey, the former Olympic judoka and UFC trailblazer, is expected to pocket approximately $12-15 million for the fight, including base purse, pay-per-view-style bonuses tied to viewership milestones (even though it’s not traditional PPV), and potential backend points from global streaming metrics. This figure reflects her status as the headline draw and her history of commanding top-tier guarantees in combat sports.
Carano, making her MMA comeback after a 17-year absence and amid her well-documented transition to acting (and subsequent controversies), is slated to earn in the range of $8-10 million. Sources indicate her deal includes a significant upfront guarantee plus escalators based on event performance and sponsorship activations. The matchup has drawn interest from brands eager to align with the “legacy showdown” narrative, boosting the overall fighter purses.
“Been waiting so long to announce this: Me and Gina Carano are gonna throw down in the biggest super fight in women’s combat sport history!” Rousey said in a statement released with the announcement. Carano echoed the sentiment, noting mutual respect between the two pioneers who helped elevate women’s MMA.
The fight will take place in a hexagon cage with four-ounce gloves, and additional bouts on the card are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks. Tickets for the live event go on sale March 5.
This spectacle builds on Netflix’s recent forays into live events, following high-profile boxing streams, and could set a new benchmark for fighter compensation in non-traditional promotional formats. Analysts predict the event could draw tens of millions of concurrent viewers, potentially rivaling some of the platform’s biggest live specials to date.
Fight night is set for Saturday, May 16, 2026—mark your calendars for what promises to be a historic return for two of the sport’s most iconic figures.
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