With the recently announced superfight between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano generating massive buzz across the MMA world, fans are also being reminded that both pioneers will be stepping back into competition after lengthy absences from the sport. Rousey is set to end a decade-long retirement, while Carano, who last competed in August 2009, is slated to return on May 16 atop Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions debut MMA card, streaming live on Netflix from the Intuit Dome in California. Before they can share the cage, however, both athletes will need to clear extensive medical testing, as confirmed by Andy Foster, executive director of the California State Athletic Commission.
The scrutiny is particularly significant given Rousey has previously spoken about dealing with lingering concussion symptoms and neurological concerns that contributed to her stepping away from MMA in 2016. Now 39 and having spent recent years competing in WWE, she has not fought in nearly a decade. While the 43-year-old Carano has been out of action for more than 17 years. Amid these concerns, former UFC fighter and current WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk has publicly cautioned Rousey about the risks of returning to competition later in life, highlighting the potential medical implications that come with stepping back into high-level combat after such long layoffs.
CM Punk Welcomes Ronda Rousey’s MMA Return, Glad She’s Facing Age-Comparable Gina Carano
In 2016, as Ronda Rousey made her final MMA appearance before transitioning to pro wrestling, CM Punk stepped into the Octagon for the first time. It is fair to say the move did not unfold as hoped for the Chicago native, who began his MMA journey at 37 and struggled to find success at the elite level.
The now-47-year-old finished his UFC run with a 0- 1- 0 record (1 NC), suffering a submission loss to Mickey Gall at UFC 203 and later being outpointed by Mike Jackson at UFC 225.
Moreover, Punk made his Octagon debut nearly two years after signing with the UFC, suffering a first-round submission loss to Gall. Two years later, at age 39, he dropped a unanimous decision to Jackson, a result that was later overturned to a no-contest after Jackson tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol related to marijuana use.
During a recent interview with talkSPORT, Punk weighed in on Rousey’s planned return at a similar stage of life: “I think it’s great. We’re going to find out if she’s still got it,” CM Punk said.
He added, “I think fighting at an older age — trust me, I am an expert on this — it’s not the easiest thing to do. But she’s fighting somebody who is age comparable, who also has had a long layoff.”
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The Chicago native concluded with, “They’re both big names, both big superstars. I think people are going to tune in to watch this, and I know I will.”
Notably, Rousey will also be 39 when she returns to competition in May 2026, the same age Punk was in his final UFC appearance. The former women’s bantamweight champion, widely credited with breaking barriers for women in the promotion, famously lost her title to Holly Holm in November 2015 at UFC 193
She returned 13 months later to challenge Amanda Nunes, suffering a 48-second knockout defeat before stepping away from MMA. Meanwhile, Carano will be 44 at fight time and has not competed since 2009, when she suffered a TKO loss to Cris Cyborg for the inaugural Strikeforce women’s featherweight title.
That defeat remains the only loss of her professional career. While Rousey transitioned to WWE and enjoyed a successful run, Carano pursued acting, appearing in films such as Haywire, Fast & Furious 6, and Deadpool, and starring in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian before her departure in 2021.
Given the previously mentioned medical concerns and lengthy layoffs on both sides, questions remain about whether the bout will ultimately receive full sanctioning, adding another layer of intrigue to an already headline-grabbing matchup.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.