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Rousey vs. Carano to headline Netflix bout May 16

5/15/2026

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Summary

Rousey vs Carano

Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey will fight Gina Carano at the Intuit Dome on May 16, 2026.
The headline bout streams globally on Netflix, which costs $7.99 per month with ads or $17.99 without, with the main card at 6:00 PM PT.
Tickets start at $68 for the 18,500-seat venue.
Co-main events feature Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry and Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins.
Prelim fights stream free on MVP MMA’s YouTube channel at 3:00 PM PT.

Summary

Rousey Invites Matchmaking

Rousey announced that every home viewer will act as a matchmaker for future MMA fights.
She is targeting over 9 million viewers to make the bout the most-watched MMA fight ever.
Rousey framed the fight as an audition to prove MMA merits long-term backing after the UFC scrapped a comeback following a meeting with Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Hunter Campbell, and she said title-centric matchmaking limits exciting pairings.

History

Historical Context

In August 2011 the UFC signed a seven-year deal with Fox, bringing UFC fights to U.S. broadcast TV for the first time, airing four live events annually and debuting with Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez on November 12, 2011. The exposure lifted stars like Ronda Rousey, and by 2026 UFC bouts moved to streaming, with Netflix airing Rousey’s fight against Gina Carano.

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Rousey vs Carano

Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey will fight Gina Carano at the Intuit Dome on May 16, 2026.
The headline bout streams globally on Netflix, which costs $7.99 per month with ads or $17.99 without, with the main card at 6:00 PM PT.
Tickets start at $68 for the 18,500-seat venue.
Co-main events feature Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry and Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins.
Prelim fights stream free on MVP MMA’s YouTube channel at 3:00 PM PT.

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