Official staredowns have been conducted for the main fights at the MVP event scheduled for May 16. The card features Ronda Rousey (12-2) versus Gina Carano (7-1) in a highly anticipated matchup. Nate Diaz (21-13) will face Mike Perry (14-8) in another featured bout. The event also includes Francis Ngannou (18-3) taking on Felipe Lins (18-5). The staredowns provide an early glimpse of the intensity ahead of these marquee fights.
Official staredowns have taken place for the MVP event scheduled for May 16, offering the first face-to-face moments between the fighters set to headline what looks to be a stacked card.
The centerpiece matchup brings together two of women's combat sports' most recognizable names. Ronda "Rowdy" Rousey, now 39 years old and fighting out of Team Hayastan, carries a 12-2 record into the bout. Standing five-foot-seven with a 66-inch reach, Rousey has built her reputation on dominant grappling, averaging an extraordinary 6.26 takedowns and 4.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes. Her opponent, Gina "Conviction" Carano, holds a 7-1 record and trains out of Xtreme Couture. The 44-year-old American stands five-foot-eight and brings a striking-heavy game, landing 4.5 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy.
In the co-featured bout, Nate Diaz squares off against Mike Perry. Diaz, 41, is a southpaw out of Stockton, California, representing Cesar Gracie Fight Team with a 22-13 record. The six-foot fighter boasts a 76-inch reach and lands 4.57 significant strikes per minute. Perry enters at 14-8.
Francis Ngannou and Felipe Lins round out the marquee bouts. Ngannou, the fearsome heavyweight, brings an 18-3 record to the event, while Lins checks in at 18-5.
Why it matters
- Rousey vs. Carano is a generational women's MMA matchup pitting elite grappling against durable striking
- Diaz vs. Perry is a natural stylistic clash between two fighters known for absorbing and delivering punishment in equal measure
- Ngannou vs. Lins adds heavyweight power to a card already rich with marquee names
- The staredowns signal that all principal fighters are present and preparations are on schedule for May 16
