
Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano made their long-awaited returns to the cage tonight at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, but it only lasted a matter of seconds.
It had been almost 17 years since Carano last competed in Strikeforce, and almost a decade for Rousey. However, both women looked in phenomenal shape and came in well under the featherweight limit for their final bows.
Over 14,000 fans packed into the beautiful California venue to watch a stacked event, which also featured the return of heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou as well as Nate Diaz and Mike Perry’s long-awaited showdown.
After a collective 26 years of inactivity, there were a number of massive question marks surrounding both Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. The feeling was that if they stayed standing, it may favor Carano, while the Olympian’s judo would prove too much otherwise.
JUST LIKE THAT.
— Netflix Sports (@netflixsports) May 17, 2026
RONDA ROUSEY DEFEATS GINA CARANO VIA ARMBAR IN LESS THAN 20 SECONDS. #RouseyCarano pic.twitter.com/XFZQQlz3NF
They were given quite the lead-in, with every single main card fight ending in a stoppage and only one – a barnburner between Nate Diaz and Mike Perry – getting past the first round. And they delivered in their own right as Rousey scored an absurdly quick victory within 17 seconds.
With the iconic referee Big John McCarthy standing between them, it took Rousey just six seconds to go for the takedown. 11 seconds later, Carano was finished as she tapped to the iconic armbar.
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