Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano: Tougher concussion tests for MMA return

Carano, 43, retired from mixed martial arts 17 years ago, while Rousey hung up her gloves 10 years ago, but competed in WWE from 2018 onwards.

Rousey told BBC Sport in 2024 how she suffered concussions before moving to mixed martial arts from judo.

“I had been hiding concussions and neurological injuries for so long that I became a part of it,” she said.

“And that was the point where I had to really evaluate myself and say, ‘Your brain has taken too much damage for too many years.’”

Foster says he currently has no concerns about the competition as long as they “pass their medical tests and pass all their neurobatteries.”

“There is nothing wrong with this fight,” he added.

Rousey v Carano will headline the first MMA event on Netflix. Rousey is a former UFC champion – becoming the first woman to sign with the promotion – while Carano is considered one of the sport’s pioneers in the women’s code.

Carano retired before Rousey made her MMA debut, but the rivals have long been linked to a matchup and the UFC tried to make the fight at the peak of Rousey’s career.

After a five-year unbeaten streak, Rousey lost her UFC bantamweight title to Holly Holm in a shock defeat, and when she was knocked out by Amanda Nunes in her comeback the following year, she retired from mixed martial arts.

Rousey has a 12-2 record while Carano is 7-1, with her only loss coming to Cris Cyborg in her last match in 2009.