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Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano’s comeback fight sets new pay records for women in MMA

Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano set new pay records for women in combat sports with seven-figure disclosed purses in their comeback fight.

Aksel Kryhlmand

·

May 20, 2026

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Ronda Rousey made a dramatic return to mixed martial arts after a decade away, securing a submission victory over fellow pioneer Gina Carano in a highly anticipated bout that also shattered pay records for women in combat sports.

The event, streamed live on Netflix from California’s Intuit Dome on Saturday night, saw both fighters earn seven-figure disclosed purses.

The main event itself was a blink-and-you-miss-it affair, lasting just 17 seconds. Rousey, aged 39, quickly locked in her signature armbar, forcing the 44-year-old Carano to tap out.

For Carano, it marked her first MMA fight since 2009, while Rousey’s last professional match was a 2016 knockout loss to Amanda Nunes for the UFC women’s bantamweight title.

Record-setting payouts

Beyond the swift action, the fight’s financial implications have made significant waves. The disclosed fight purses, revealed by the California State Athletic Commission and reported by Forbes, represent unprecedented figures for women in the sport:

Ronda Rousey: $2.2 million
Gina Carano: $1.05 million

These substantial payouts do not include potential additional earnings from broadcast revenue, ticket sales, or performance bonuses. All fighters on the Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) card, which was Jake Paul’s debut MMA event, were paid a flat rate without win/show pay structures.

Before the fight, Rousey highlighted the significance of these earnings, stating, “I’ve already won a record eight consecutive title fights, there’s nothing left for me to do in UFC. So now me and Gina are smashing the record for the most women have been paid in combat sports,” according to BBC Sport. Rousey, who was the first woman signed by the UFC in 2012, has been a vocal critic of the UFC’s fighter pay structure.

A bittersweet return

For Gina Carano, the return to the cage after 15 years was a personal victory, despite the fight’s brevity. Speaking after the match, Carano expressed a desire for more action. “I wanted that to last longer, I felt like I was so ready, I felt so good. But I haven’t been here for 17 years. I wanted to hit her,” she told AFP.

“Right now, just getting in the cage was a victory, getting here after 17 years is a victory. Fighting a legend was a victory. I feel great, I just wanted to fight, and I didn’t get to do that.”

Rousey, meanwhile, reflected on her perfect ending to an illustrious career. “There’s no way I could have ended it better than this. I want to have some more babies, got to get cooking,” she commented after her win.

Her pre-fight remarks also hinted at a broader impact on the sport, as she pondered at the final news conference, “Who can say the success of this fight won’t give the competition the UFC needs and give bargaining power back to the fighters?”

The event also featured other prominent names like Francis Ngannou, Nate Diaz, and Mike Perry, cementing MVP’s entry into the MMA landscape with a statement-making card that prioritized fighter compensation.

Sources: AFP, www.forbes.com, www.bbc.com