Rousey Ends MMA Return in 17 Seconds, Defeats Carano by Armbar.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Ronda Rousey closed the final chapter of her MMA career in the most familiar way possible on Saturday night, submitting Gina Carano with an armbar just 17 seconds into the opening round at Intuit Dome. The featherweight main event headlined Most Valuable Promotions’ first MMA showcase on Netflix and marked Rousey’s first fight in nearly a decade. Moments after the victory, the former UFC champion confirmed the bout would also be her last. “I was hoping to come out as unscathed as possible,” Rousey said after the fight. “I didn’t really want to hurt her. It was beautiful martial arts. That was art.”

Rousey, 39, wasted no time imposing her grappling advantage. She immediately shot in for a takedown, advanced to full mount and secured the armbar before Carano could land a strike. The quick submission improved Rousey’s professional record to 13-2. For Carano, the matchup represented a return to competition after a 17-year absence from MMA. The 44-year-old former Strikeforce star admitted afterward she hoped for a longer fight after dedicating herself fully to the comeback. “I wanted that to last longer,” Carano said. “I was so ready. I felt so good. I haven’t competed in 17 years. I wanted to hit her. But getting in here is a victory.” Carano revealed she lost nearly 100 pounds after accepting the fight offer in late 2024. Despite the loss, she called the opportunity to share the cage with Rousey a meaningful experience, though she remains uncertain about fighting again.

Saturday’s win gave Rousey a dramatically different ending than her original departure from MMA. Her previous UFC run ended with knockout losses to Holly Holm in 2015 and Amanda Nunes in 2016 before she stepped away from the sport entirely. Rousey recently said she initially explored a comeback with the UFC but encountered obstacles after the promotion’s transition to Paramount in early 2026. Instead, she partnered with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions for the event. Paul, who attended the show and has repeatedly expressed interest in competing in MMA himself, said MVP plans to continue promoting future cards.

“You will definitely see more MMA,” Paul said. “This was one of the most viewed MMA events in history. MVP is just getting warmed up.” The card also featured appearances from former UFC stars Nate Diaz and Francis Ngannou, underscoring MVP’s push to establish itself as a major player in combat sports.