Ronda Rousey has fought several battles inside the Octagon during her time with the UFC. However, there’s only one fight, per Rousey, where she had to do the unthinkable. And no, it wasn’t against Holly Holm or Amanda Nunes, who handed her two losses. Ahead of her much-anticipated return to action on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, against Gina Carano, the former bantamweight champion revealed the name. 

“13 years ago, history was made when Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche became the first two women to fight in the UFC,” MMA On Point wrote on X while sharing a clip from the fight. “For a moment, Rousey was in serious trouble.”

The footage from UFC 157, which took place in February 2013, shows Liz Carmouche locking in a tight face crank on Ronda Rousey in the opening round. But! Rousey escaped the submission attempt and quickly turned the tide, securing a first-round armbar to finish Carmouche. Looking back on the bout, Rousey appears to remember exactly what happened. 

“Liz is tough, so much respect for her,” Rousey wrote on X. “A sane woman would have tapped to that face crank—but I gotta point out to all the people who don’t really know fighting—that guard pass was SICK!”

Three years from her debut, the memory of her extravagant win turned sour, and she hung up her gloves. And guess what? When she returns in a few months, it will mark over 9 years on the sidelines. Regardless, what’s even more interesting is how the Carano fight came together. Initially, the 39-year-old had approached Dana White to make the fight under her old promotion’s banner.

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However, after the promotion took its business to Paramount. And the pay-per-view model was removed, Rousey’s plans to cash in millions through PPV sales went down the drain. So, what did she do?? The former bantamweight champion sold the fight to Netflix, signing with Jake Paul’s MVP.

Gina Carano, in the meantime, had a similar story to Rousey. Even the 43-year-old hadn’t fought since her loss to Cris Cyborg in August 2009, making her return equally more exciting. But the bigger question is: can Rousey replicate her performance against Carmouche when she faces Carano? 

CM Punk reacts to Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano

Former UFC fighter CM Punk knows exactly how difficult it is to fight later in life. Afterall, he did, albeit unsuccessfully. So, his take on the Rousey vs. Carano fight is unique. Punk, who made his UFC debut at 37, understands the challenge. 

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

He added that both fighters are “age comparable” with long layoffs, calling them “big names” and “big superstars.”

“I think people are going to tune in to watch this, and I know I will.”

And remember, Rousey is currently 39, and Carano is 43. Their age doesn’t necessarily mean it would be a repeat of Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson, but it’s rarely seen in women’s combat sports. But if Netflix, which is debuting in the MMA scene, is okay with it, why not?

Clearly, Ronda Rousey remembers making history as one of the first women to fight and win in the UFC. Now, with her return set for a major bout streaming on Netflix, she’ll aim to capture that magic again. But after years away, can she do it?