Ronda Rousey announces retirement after Gina Carano bout

Ronda Rousey has announced that her upcoming fight against Gina Carano will be the final bout of her combat sports career. The 39-year-old told reporter Ariel Helwani in a recent interview that she has no plans to compete again after this weekend, citing a desire to have two more children as her reason for stepping away from the sport for good.

Rousey, nicknamed "Rowdy," carries a 12-2-0 professional record and represents Team Hayastan. Standing five-foot-seven with a 66-inch reach, she has long been one of the most decorated fighters in women's MMA history. Her grappling remains a defining feature of her game, with an exceptional 6.26 takedowns per 15 minutes and 4.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes across her career. She also connects at a 52 percent striking accuracy rate, landing 4.17 significant strikes per minute.

Standing across from her will be Gina Carano, known as "Conviction," who holds a 7-1-0 record at 44 years of age. The American fighter out of Xtreme Couture stands five-foot-eight and fights out of an orthodox stance. Carano lands 4.5 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy and averages 1.24 takedowns per 15 minutes, along with 1.6 submission attempts in the same window.

Why it matters

• Rousey has confirmed this is her retirement bout, giving the fight added historical weight beyond its competitive stakes
• Carano's submission and takedown activity sets up a potential grappling battle against one of the most accomplished grapplers in the sport's history
• A combined record of 19-3-0 between the two fighters means genuine competitive credibility accompanies the farewell narrative
• The result will serve as the final entry in Rousey's professional record, shaping how her overall legacy is remembered