It looks like Ronda Rousey’s feud with the UFC is only intensifying. As the former women’s bantamweight champion prepares for her long-awaited return to the cage against Gina Carano on May 16, she’s making sure her voice is heard, taking repeated shots at her former employer.
For those catching up, Rousey is set to compete in MMA for the first time since 2016, headlining Most Valuable Promotions’ debut MMA event, MVP MMA 1, on Netflix. Standing across from her will be Carano, who is also ending a lengthy hiatus, returning to action for the first time since 2009. In the lead-up to the event, Rousey has seemingly made it her mission to fire back at the UFC.
She has already claimed that the promotion is no longer capable of putting on the best fights in 2026, even throwing shade at the Freedom 250 card. She recently also took aim at UFC CBO Hunter Campbell following the confirmation of Nate Diaz’s MMA return on the same MVP card. Now, she has doubled down on her stance.
In a recent video on her YouTube channel, Rousey once again questioned the UFC’s long-standing dominance in the combat sports landscape. She said, “I feel like we are in a crossroads for the sport, and this is the beginning of a big change that is long overdue.”
The former 135-pound queen didn’t hold back, adding, “I meant it when I said that the UFC is suffering from a lack of competition. They’ve become too comfortable with being the dominant force in the industry, and just making fighters offers where they go, ‘Take it or leave it, what else are you going to do?”
Ronda Rousey talks UFC: They’ve become too comfortable with being the dominant force in the industry and just making fighters offers where they’re like take it or leave it. What else are you going to do?
It used to be anti-establishment and now it’s become the establishment and… pic.twitter.com/sWvBs2GZBr
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) April 3, 2026
She further pointed to the shifting dynamics of the sport under the TKO Group Holdings umbrella, suggesting that the UFC is no longer the only lucrative destination for elite fighters. Concerns over fighter pay, in particular, have continued to gain traction in recent years.
Rousey added, “It used to be that UFC was the best way to make money in combat sports. Now it’s becoming the worst place to make money in combat sports. It used to be anti-establishment, and now it’s become the establishment. And I’ve always been an ‘anti’ kind of bitch.”
While Rousey did acknowledge the UFC’s role in helping her become a global megastar following her 2013 debut, she made it clear that she believes Dana White has since lost his grip on the promotion. With the UFC CEO admitting that he no longer plays a significant role in the day-to-day operations, Rousey’s criticism of the leadership reflects a growing sentiment around the organization’s direction.
Ronda Rousey: The last thing you want is for me to be pissed off with something to prove as Hunter Campbell is about to learn with this fight eclipsing anything that he’s ever done. I think we both know that we’re much better allies than we are enemies.
Watch the full scrum here… pic.twitter.com/6bRWtwZtkn
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) March 11, 2026
She went on to argue that the UFC’s current status quo must be challenged, insisting that the promotion should be pushed to consistently deliver top-tier cards rather than treating its fanbase as expendable amid its financial success.
Rousey concluded with, “I think they need to be reminded of the precariousness of their situation, and they need to start appreciating the fighters that give everything that they do any value at all. I think that they’ve forgotten that, and I’m coming to remind them.”
As for MVP MMA 1, the card is already shaping up to be a blockbuster, with Rousey taking on Carano in the main event. Meanwhile, former UFC 265lbs kingpin Francis Ngannou is set for his MMA return in the co-main event against Brazilian veteran Philipe Lins. Fan favorites Nate Diaz and Mike Perry are also slated to clash in a welterweight bout, adding further intrigue.
The full lineup further features notable names such as Junior dos Santos, Muhammad Mokaev, and Adriano Moraes, making it one of the most stacked and talked-about cards in recent memory.
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.