Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are friends who publicly respect each other. However, Rousey says that respect disappears once their fight begins this weekend.
After nearly ten years away from MMA, Rousey headlines Netflix’s first live fight event on Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions is organizing the card, which also features Nate Diaz against Mike Perry and the return of heavyweight Francis Ngannou.
However, the hype around the main event is not so strong because both Carano and Rousey share a deep love and respect for each other. But her goal to win in the blockbuster event has not changed much. She made it clear that her only goal on fight night is to win by submission against the 44-year-old.
Ronda Rousey Puts Gina Carano on Notice Over Armbar Threat
Rousey became known during her prime for a vicious armbar that helped her claim eight victories, five of those wins coming within the first minute. At Thursday’s final press conference, she was asked directly whether friendship would make her hesitate if Carano refused to tap.
The 39-year-old was blunt regarding her mission. She replied, “I definitely wouldn’t have any hesitation in breaking it. But I also wouldn’t hesitate in putting it back in place — it’s kind of a wax on wax off kind of situation.”
Though breaking an arm sounds brutal, especially since this is rumored to be Carano’s final MMA fight, Rousey later clarified that she views the injury differently because she suffered the same injury numerous times in her career.
She added, “You know, you don’t really break it, you just kind of dislocate it. It’s not that bad. I’ve had my elbow go out several times because I didn’t tap and I thought I was really cool when I was young. But yeah, I wouldn’t hesitate and I would make sure to put it back.”
Statistics show Rousey averaged 4.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes, the highest rate in women’s bantamweight history. Her game plan on Saturday will probably be just like her old fights, where she closes the distance, throws her opponent to the ground, and goes straight for the armbar.
And Carano is not expecting something new from her Netflix rival. She told MMA Junkie, “We know what Ronda is good at; she’s a genius at it. So we definitely trained accordingly. I can be pretty savvy myself, though, so let’s just keep that in mind.”
Why Ronda Rousey’s Comeback Fight Has MMA Community Locked In
Rousey last fought in late 2016, losing by knockout to Amanda Nunes. Carano has not competed since 2009, when Cris Cyborg stopped her in Strikeforce’s historic first female main event. Now, the two pioneers are meeting on Netflix.
“This isn’t a charity or nostalgia card. This is the biggest fight in the world,” Rousey said at a recent press conference, per BBC.
Carano agreed, telling ESPN, “I’ve heard people say Ronda Rousey is fighting the girl from The Mandalorian. No, I had a whole life that opened doors to movies, and it was because I was a genuine fighter who broke barriers.”
Carano is a powerful Muay Thai striker with an advantage on her feet. However, at 44 years old and after 17 years away, her grappling defense against Rousey’s submission style is the biggest question mark rumbling before the much-anticipated Netflix showdown.
The main card streams live globally on Netflix on Saturday at 9 p.m. ET from Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
PHOTO CREDIT: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
