Final comments from Rousey and Carano reveal key contrast

In the lead-up to her return, Ronda Rousey has been outspoken, getting into public disputes with names like Kayla Harrison. It’s a side of her that fans are familiar with, one driven by a need to prove doubters wrong.

Throughout her career, Rousey has often spoken about wanting to change the sport for the better. Her comeback seems to carry that same message.

After facing off one last time with Gina Carano, she shared her final thoughts on Instagram:

“The work is done. The talk is over,” she posted. “The wait has almost come to an end. Tomorrow we show the world why we deserve to be taken seriously.”

For Carano, it’s been a different kind of journey. Her focus has clearly been on her own health transformation, highlighted by weighing in at just over 141 pounds.

She hasn’t engaged much in the back-and-forth between Rousey and her critics, choosing instead to stay focused on her own preparation.

Carano’s final words reflected that mindset:

“I’ve shown up this far,” she wrote on Instagram. “I’ll be there to show up for this fight. Saturday, May 16th. Come with us.

“The hard work it took to get here – some will never know,” Carano continued. “But the ones that know have shown nothing but respect.”