Merab Dvalishvili’s Coach Claims Ronda Rousey And Gina Carano Earned Much More Than Reported

Merab Dvalishvili, Ronda Rousey, and Gina Carano (Photo By Imagn Images)

Merab Dvalishvili’s Coach Claims Ronda Rousey And Gina Carano Earned Much More Than Reported

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Pavan Sharma | Last updated May 20, 2026 12:50 PM ET

Everyone was shocked when Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano were paid like UFC title-fight athletes. However, fans and MMA stars wondered how MVP pulled this off, given that this was their first MMA event and they gave their fighters a big payday. Talking about that, Merab Dvalishvili’s coach, John Wood, said the numbers were not true.

The UFC Hall of Famer earned $2.2 million for her 17-second submission victory over Carano. Additionally, the 44-year-old got $1.05 million. Now, Wood said the fighter salaries released by the California State Athletic Commission for the Rousey vs. Carano card were far lower than what the athletes actually earned. During a recent talk with Jake Noecker, he said:

“I’ll tell you this right now, those payouts weren’t even close. The undercard might have been a little realistic, but the main card and what those guys got paid, not even close.”

Coach John Wood says the payout numbers released by CSAC are NOT TRUE and fighters on the MVP: Rousey vs. Carano card got paid much more:

“I'll tell you this right now, those payouts weren't even close. The undercard might have been a little realistic, but the main card and… pic.twitter.com/6lJuRNaHF8
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) May 20, 2026

Wood went even further, suggesting that some fighters were paid so well that they could retire immediately if they chose to. Fans expected the former UFC bantamweight women’s champion to stay active after a dominant performance.

Matt Brown Says Ronda Rousey Is A “Narcissist” For Returning To Fight

Ronda Rousey stunned the MMA world by returning after nearly a decade and submitting Gina Carano in just 17 seconds. While many fans celebrated the nostalgic performance, Matt Brown was far from impressed. Brown harshly criticized Rousey following her quick win. In a recent talk with MMA Fighting, the MMA veteran said:

“I think she’s a narcissist, and I think she’s got a lot of mental issues, and I think she maybe needs to go to therapy or something. If she said she’s coming back for money, I get it. You’re prize fighting. Come back get a bag. There’s no redeeming quality about winning this fight.

.@iamtheimmortal feels "narcissist" Ronda Rousey blew an opportunity to redeem herself from how she left the sport:

"If she said she’s coming back for money, I get it. You’re prize-fighting. … There’s no redeeming quality about winning this fight."

( @DamonMartin) pic.twitter.com/bGMGZ7MyZb
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) May 19, 2026

Brown also took issue with how Rousey promoted the event, noting there wasn’t much buzz. Despite the criticism, Rousey reportedly earned one of the largest paydays of the night at the Rousey vs. Carano card.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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