Ronda Rousey Takes Aim at Hunter Campbell After MVP MMA 1 Outdraws UFC Freedom 250 in U.S. Viewership 

Ronda Rousey
March 10, 2026, Inglewood, California, USA: MMA fighter RONDA ROUSEY looks on during a pre-fight press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz for Netflix s Rousey vs Carano event. Inglewood USA - ZUMAp224 20260310_znp_p224_004 Copyright: xBrandonxPollardx
by Kshitiz Kumar Singh

The UFC Freedom 250 card delivered action from start to finish, with all seven bouts ending inside the distance. Justin Gaethje’s stunning upset victory over the previously undefeated Ilia Topuria to capture the lightweight title served as the crowning moment of an already stacked event. Beyond the action inside the Octagon, the historic White House card also attracted massive viewership throughout its four-hour broadcast. 

Just days after the event, Paramount+ released the official figures, and Freedom 250 now ranks among the most-watched MMA shows of all time. According to Nielsen, which is the industry standard for television audience measurement, a total of 17 million viewers across the United States and Latin America tuned in for the one-of-a-kind event held on the South Lawn of the White House. The card also became the biggest exclusive live event in Paramount+ history, averaging 8.2 million viewers across both markets.

 

ALSO READ: When Can Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje Return? UFC Freedom 250 Medical Suspension List Released

Paramount reported that the seven-bout card averaged 8.2 million viewers, including 7 million in the United States and 1.2 million in Latin America. Overall, the event drew 17 million unique viewers, with 15.26 million coming from the U.S. and 1.67 million from Latin America. It must be noted that the numbers account only for live viewership and do not include delayed viewing, DVR playback, or +1 viewership. Moreover, the total audience figure represents viewers who watched at least one minute of the four-hour broadcast.

While the numbers were undeniably impressive, the White House card fell short of the domestic audience generated by Most Valuable Promotions’ MVP MMA 1 event, headlined by Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano in May earlier this year. That event averaged 9.3 million viewers in the United States and peaked at 11.6 million, compared to Freedom 250’s average U.S. audience of 7 million viewers. However, that figure was not independently confirmed by Nielsen and also included delayed “live +1” viewership. Rousey reacted to the viewership revelation with a clear shot at UFC executive Hunter Campbell. She wrote on X, “Lmao! Kiss my ass Hunter Campbell.”

 

The comment was hardly surprising given the history between the two. During the media tour for her return to MMA for the first time since UFC 207 in 2016, Rousey repeatedly cited her feud with UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell as one of the primary motivations behind her comeback. According to Rousey, Campbell made disparaging remarks about both her and women’s MMA when she first approached the UFC regarding a return to action. 

Those comments ultimately lit a fire under the former 135lbs champion and fueled her determination to help build a major MMA event outside the UFC banner. That said, there is important context behind the viewership comparison. Paramount+ currently has roughly 79 million subscribers worldwide, while Netflix, the streaming home of MVP MMA 1, boasts approximately 325 million subscribers. Viewed through that lens, Freedom 250’s audience figures become even more impressive.

Even so, the White House card ultimately fell well short of the Super Bowl-level numbers of 120 million Dana White had predicted in the lead-up to the event. Nevertheless, it comfortably surpassed several of the UFC’s own historical benchmarks. The promotion’s first-ever card on FOX, headlined by a heavyweight title fight between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos, averaged 5.7 million viewers in the United States and peaked at 8.8 million viewers. Meanwhile, UFC 324 averaged 4.96 million viewers domestically, which was the debut Paramount+ card for the company.  

The press release also noted that additional viewership figures from markets outside the United States and Latin America will be released sometime next week. Regardless of where the final numbers land, both Freedom 250 and MVP MMA 1 can be considered major successes for their respective promotions. Still, judging by her reaction, Rousey appears more than satisfied with what she sees as a personal victory over Campbell.