While Kayla Harrison and Ronda Rousey share similar paths from Olympic judo success to UFC gold, the two stars appear far from friendly terms. Rousey is set to make her long-awaited MMA return, her first since 2016, against Gina Carano in the main event of the MVP MMA 1 card promoted by Most Valuable Promotions on Netflix next month.
Meanwhile, Harrison currently reigns as the UFC women’s bantamweight champion and is expected to face Amanda Nunes later this year after their initial clash at UFC 324 was scrapped due to Harrison’s neck injury and subsequent surgery. In promoting her comeback, Rousey has labeled the Netflix headliner as the biggest women’s fight in history, even suggesting that her payday will dwarf what today’s UFC champions earn, claiming Harrison makes less than a tenth of what she did during her peak.
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Harrison, however, isn’t buying into the narrative. Speaking during the recent UFC Vegas 116 pre-fight show, she pushed back on Rousey’s claims, saying, “I’m just going to go ahead and say I could be meaner. I think that it would be really hard. I can’t imagine what it would be like for someone to come in and beat everything I’ve ever done. That would be hard. I get it.”
While Rousey’s return, bolstered by Netflix’s massive 300 million subscriber base, could draw historic viewership, Harrison made it clear that popularity doesn’t necessarily equate to greatness. Her anticipated showdown with Nunes carries far more legacy-defining stakes, with the potential to determine the greatest female fighter in MMA history.
She added, “I think that the part that bothers me most about Ronda is at one point she was a real athlete. She was training for the Olympics. She’s an Olympic bronze medalist. She became a UFC champion. She was really trying to chase greatness.”
Despite the criticism, Harrison acknowledged Rousey’s foundational role in women’s MMA. “I will never take away the fact that Ronda is probably the most important female fighter. If it weren’t for her, for sure, I wouldn’t be where I’m at. I wouldn’t have a job. But this fight is not the greatest fight of all time.”
However, Harrison doubled down on her stance, pointing to what she sees as clear context behind the hype surrounding Rousey’s comeback. ‘Rowdy’ is returning after nearly a decade away from MMA, having suffered back-to-back knockout losses in her final Octagon appearances: against Holly Holm at UFC 193 and Amanda Nunes at UFC 207. Her opponent, Gina Carano, has been out of competition even longer. The former pioneer last fought in 2009, making this a return after a 17-year absence from combat sports.
Harrison didn’t hold back in her assessment of the matchup, concluding, “It’s between someone who hasn’t fought in 10 years and is coming off two knockout losses and another woman, again another legend, another pioneer, but hasn’t fought in 17 years and is in her 40s. Don’t call it the greatest fight of all time. I’m chasing greatness. You’re chasing money. We’re different.”
As it stands, Rousey is gearing up for her May return against Carano, while Harrison continues her recovery from neck surgery that forced the postponement of her highly anticipated clash with Nunes, originally scheduled for UFC 324 in January. By all indications, Harrison’s recovery is progressing well, and the reigning champion is expected to make her return to the Octagon before the end of 2026.
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.