Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano could have happened much earlier, and that too under the UFC. But timing ultimately got in the way. Recently, the former bantamweight champion revealed that she approached UFC CEO Dana White to make the fight happen. Although White was interested in the bout, the fight couldn’t happen at the time.

By the time both fighters were ready to fight in 2026, the UFC had moved its home to Paramount. That shift derailed Rousey’s original strategy of capitalizing on pay-per-view revenue—a model that no longer existed under the new agreement. This forced her to strike a deal with Jake Paul and his Most Valuable Promotions. The fight was then sold to Netflix, and things are where they are today. But how does Dana White feel about all this?

Dana White couldn’t be happier for Ronda Rousey

“Yeah, you know, [Ronda] and I have been talking about this since last year,” Dana White said during the UFC Houston post-fight presser. “And yeah, it just didn’t work out, but I’m happy for it. Listen, Gina and I are in a really good place—we weren’t at one point, and I’m happy for both of them.” 

In a 2019 interview with Ariel Helwani, Gina Carano revealed that Dana White had expressed interest in booking a fight between her and Ronda Rousey. According to Carano, she was offered $1 million for the bout but requested more time to prepare for training camp. The following day, however, she received what she described as a harsh text message from White—an exchange that led her to sever ties with the UFC CEO altogether.

White reportedly apologized later, but the fight never came to fruition. Now, years later, Rousey and Carano are expected to finally meet in a five-round MMA clash on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The event will stream live on Netflix, marking a significant first for the platform in the MMA space. Details regarding the undercard have yet to be announced. But you know what’s interesting? 

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Netflix had pursued a broadcast deal with the UFC, but they were only interested in the bigger numbered events. The deal ultimately fell through, and UFC signed a seven-year $7.7 billion deal with Paramount. Regardless, more people have reacted to Rousey vs. Carano. 

CM Punk sends a message to Rousey ahead of the Gina Carano fight

Ronda Rousey, who hasn’t fought since her 2016 loss to Amanda Nunes, is stepping back into the cage at 39. CM Punk, who made his own UFC debut at 38, knows firsthand how difficult competing at that age can be. Reacting to the comeback, Punk appeared optimistic about Rousey’s chances.

“I think it’s great. We’re going to find out if she’s still got it,” Punk said. “I think fighting at an older age—trust me, I am an expert on this—it’s not the easiest thing to do.”

However, Punk pointed out that the matchup is evenly balanced given both fighters’ long layoffs.

“But she’s fighting somebody who is age-comparable, who also has had a long layoff,” he said. “They’re both big names… I think people are going to tune in—and I know I will.”

People seem excited about the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight, even though they are way out of their prime. But it raises a bigger question: did Dana White miss the chance to promote a blockbuster under the UFC banner? Or could Netflix’s bold move into the MMA space end up backfiring instead of breaking new ground?